Meaning & use

protracted

adjective·Academic

Last updated

Lasting for a longer time than expected or usual, especially in a tedious or difficult way.

See it in a sentence

The two companies were locked in a protracted legal battle for over a decade.

Negotiations became protracted as neither side would compromise.

A note on using this word

Protracted usually implies that the extended duration is tiresome or unwelcome, unlike neutral words such as 'long' or 'extended.'

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