Synonyms of lengthen

lengthen

verb

ˈleŋ(k)-thən 

as in to extend

to make longer

I had to lengthen the handle of the paint roller in order to reach the top of the wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• extend
• prolong
• increase
• stretch
• elongate
• protract
• expand
• drag (out)
• draw out
• enlarge
• outstretch
• amplify
• attenuate
• thin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shorten
• cut
• reduce
• curtail
• decrease
• cut back
• diminish
• lessen
• abridge
• abbreviate
• thicken

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb lengthen contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lengthen are extend, prolong, and protract. While all these words 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

When might prolong be a better fit than lengthen?

While the synonyms prolong and lengthen are close in meaning, prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits.

prolonged illness

How are the words protract and prolong related as synonyms of lengthen?

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

protracted litigation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lengthen

Scapes are usually harvested in June when their stems lengthen and begin to twist into coils and spiral shapes. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2026

Hormones grow the helpless newborn into a rough-and-tumble toddler who gains height through the hormones that lengthen the bones. —Literary Hub, 20 May 2026

To begin the response this belatedly only lengthens the road to resolution. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026

It’s made to lengthen, lift, and separate lashes without clumping, and comes in both soft black and rich brown. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026