prolonged

Meaning

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Lasting for a longer time than normal, expected or comfortable.

   Grammar: Mostly comes before a noun: a prolonged illness, though it can follow be: the delay was prolonged.

   Patterns

   • a prolonged period of something
   • prolonged exposure to something

   After a prolonged illness, he slowly returned to work.

   The crowd gave the singer a prolonged round of applause.

   Prolonged exposure to loud noise can damage your hearing.

Common combinations

prolonged absence

Her prolonged absence worried the neighbors.

prolonged exposure

Prolonged exposure to sun can burn the skin.

prolonged period

After a prolonged period of drought, the rains finally came.

prolonged silence

A prolonged silence followed his question.

prolonged use

Prolonged use of the medicine can cause drowsiness.

Synonyms and how they differ

extended

Extended is neutral and often describes something deliberately made longer, while prolonged hints that the length is more than wanted.

lengthy

Lengthy mainly describes long written or spoken things, such as a speech, and does not suggest a continued state as well as prolonged does.

protracted

Protracted is stronger and implies a long drawn-out process, usually a tiresome one like a negotiation or dispute.

sustained

Sustained suggests continued effort or intensity without stopping, rather than uncomfortable length.

Opposites

Word family

prolong verb

to make something last longer

prolongation noun

the act of extending something in time

long adjective

the root word meaning lasting a great time

longer adjective

comparative of long

Commonly confused: prolonged or protracted?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “prolonged”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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