How to Use lengthen in a Sentence

lengthen

verb
  • The days lengthened with the approach of spring.
  • Proper care will lengthen the life of the engine.
  • As the days lengthen again in spring, the bulbs will start to enlarge.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 29 Sep. 2022
  • Flares + Heeled Boots Flares and heels are both items that lengthen the look of the leg.
    Avery Matera, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2019
  • These are great for those who want to lengthen or change the shape of their nails.
    Elizabeth Denton, Allure, 31 Mar. 2022
  • The project will lengthen and widen the northbound ramp at the exit.
    oregonlive, 29 July 2022
  • This stuff lengthens nicely and holds a curl with the jaws of life, too.
    Devon Abelman, Allure, 11 Sep. 2018
  • Inhale and sit up straight to lengthen spine through the crown of your head.
    Lauren Bedosky, Health.com, 13 Dec. 2019
  • Winter will pass, the days will lengthen, the ice will melt in the pasture pond.
    Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
  • Tarell Basham raised his arms to lengthen his frame up the middle.
    Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2021
  • Once some of the speedsters start to wilt in the heat, this one should be lengthening his stride.
    courant.com, 19 July 2019
  • To lengthen its life span, take care when putting it up and storing it.
    Discover Magazine, 9 Dec. 2023
  • But the lengthening hurricane season, the floods, and the droughts?
    Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
  • It’s helped grow the bare spots in my eyebrows and lengthened my lashes.
    Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024
  • Rather, just hang them up to air out—which will likely lengthen the life of the garment, too.
    Amy Marturana, SELF, 24 May 2019
  • Opting for any of these may lengthen your route, but will decrease the angle of the pitch.
    Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 29 June 2023
  • The essay was retained, but the time for it was lengthened to 50 minutes.
    Nick Anderson, Washington Post, 10 July 2018
  • There isn’t much going on until the soil warms up a bit and the days begin to lengthen.
    Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 13 July 2018
  • The Colts are waiting to see whether the broken nose could lengthen his absence.
    Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Oct. 2022
  • Draw your navel up to your spine to lengthen the lower back—or, if that’s too hard, don’t do it.
    Josh Freedman, The New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2022
  • That’s the group I picture abusing a lengthening red light the most.
    Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 11 Feb. 2020
  • Keep in mind that adding veggies or other things to the fish will lengthen the cooking time.
    Ryan Wichelns, Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2020
  • As the day progressed, the ropes used to move the obelisk started to slip and lengthen, endangering the outcome of the project.
    William Gurstelle, WSJ, 25 Nov. 2022
  • Put your feet together and lengthen your legs in front of you.
    Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 9 Oct. 2024
  • The pace of delivery and breaks for applause can lengthen a speech.
    George Petras, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2023
  • The race has lengthened to 15 miles, the mowers aren’t just mowers and the car perk’s been phased out, but the tradition still stands.
    Heather Bushman, The Indianapolis Star, 5 July 2023
  • With each inhale, lengthen your spine by drawing your head toward the front of the room.
    Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 20 Nov. 2024
  • The group in June lengthened the 2.2 million barrels per day cut through the end of September.
    Krystal Hur, CNN, 5 Sep. 2024
  • This has lengthened container transit times by one-to-two weeks, in most instances.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Here in New Mexico, our growing season has lengthened since the 1970s, even as stream flows have decreased.
    Laura Paskus, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lengthen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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