prolong

verb

pro·​long prə-ˈlȯŋ 

prolonged; prolonging; prolongs

transitive verb

1

: to lengthen in time : continue

2

: to lengthen in extent, scope, or range

prolongation

(ˌ)prō-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən  prə- 

noun

prolonger

prə-ˈlȯŋ-ər 

noun

Synonyms of prolong

• lengthen
• extend
• increase

Choose the Right Synonym for prolong

extend, lengthen, prolong, protract mean to draw out or add to so as to increase in length.

extend and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range.

extend a vacation

extend welfare services

lengthen a skirt

lengthen the workweek

prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits.

prolonged illness

protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness.

protracted litigation

Examples of prolong in a Sentence

Additives are used to prolong the shelf life of packaged food.

High interest rates were prolonging the recession.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ukraine's leader warned that easing sanctions without a commitment from Russia to de-escalate the war will only prolong it. — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026

This is how most consumers first engage with collections, and re-sees create a second — and more intimate — moment for the pieces online, enabling brands to prolong the momentum, says Melbourne. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Trump initially promised to end it in weeks, and Democrats, including Newsom, have criticized him for prolonging the conflict. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

The question is how long these records are stored and whether researchers could prolong or expand each cell’s storage capacity. — Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French prolonguer, from Late Latin prolongare, from Latin pro- forward + longus long

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prolong

• agung
• along
• belong
• birdsong
• furlong
• headlong
• headstrong
• lifelong
• plainsong
• sarong
• tanjong
• weeklong

Kids Definition

prolong

verb

pro·​long prə-ˈlȯŋ 

: to make longer in time

prolonged the visit