prolonged

adjective

pro·​longed prə-ˈlȯŋd 

: continuing for a notably long time : extended in duration

a prolonged delay

a prolonged recession

a prolonged absence

a prolonged drought

And in today's competitive situation a prolonged strike can very easily lead to a serious loss of market share which is difficult, if not impossible, to recapture.

—David Reid

Sometimes the only answer is a prolonged time away from the sport followed by a slow, steady reconditioning program along with physiotherapy of some type …

—William J. Goldwag

prolongedly

prə-ˈlȯŋ-əd-lē 

adverb

… and Andy demonstrates … the odd talent of coughing in his sleep, coughing prolongedly without waking himself.

—John Updike

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Forecasters warn that ice-laden trees and power lines could fall, resulting in prolonged power outages. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025

However, soft currencies don’t possess these same characteristics, and users don’t generally want to hold them for any prolonged period if there are better options available. —Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

As for structural changes, nothing out there supports that prolonged pressure alone will alter your bone shape, both experts agree. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 28 Mar. 2025

But the art form that Sundance celebrates has struggled amid a global pandemic and a prolonged box office slump. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged