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Meaning & use

long

adjective, adverb, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/lɒŋ/
US/lɔːŋ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    Measuring a great distance from one end to the other.

    Grammar: Before a noun or after a verb: a long road; the table is two meters long.

    Patterns

    • long enough to do something
    • two meters long

    She has long, dark hair.

    The line at the bank was very long.

    The bridge is nearly a mile long.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Lasting a lot of time.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a long meeting; the day felt long.

    We had a long wait at the airport.

    It has been a long day.

    The movie is three hours long.

  3. adverbnot comparable

    For a considerable time.

    Grammar: Mostly in questions and negatives: How long did you wait? I didn't wait long.

    Patterns

    • long before something
    • long after something

    I haven't lived here long.

    They had left long before we arrived.

  4. verbintransitive

    To want something very much, especially something out of reach.

    Grammar: Followed by for or to: long for home, long to see them.

    Patterns

    • long for something
    • long to do something

    She longed for a quiet weekend.

    He longed to see his family again.

Word forms

comparativelonger
superlativelongest
third person singular (verb)longs
past tense (verb)longed
-ing form (verb)longing

Common combinations

a long time
It took a long time to repair.
long way
They traveled a long way to visit us.
in the long run
Saving money pays off in the long run.
long for
He longed for summer.
long-term
We have long-term plans.

Synonyms and how they differ

lengthy
Lengthy is more formal and usually describes time, often suggesting too long.
extended
Extended means made longer than usual or planned.
yearn
As a verb, yearn is more emotional and literary than long.

Opposites

shortbrief

Word family

length noun
how long something is
lengthen verb
to make or become longer
longing noun
a strong wish
longevity noun
a long life or duration

Commonly confused: long or lengthy?

long vs lengthy

Lengthy means long in time, often too long; long is the general word and is used for distance as well.

Practice

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