prolonged
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /prəˈlɔːŋd/
KK: /prəˈlɔŋd/
adjective
Definition
Something that lasts for a long time or is extended in duration.
Example
The meeting was prolonged due to the many questions from the participants.
Conversation
I felt so tired after that prolonged meeting yesterday.
I know what you mean; it dragged on forever!
I didn't expect it to be that prolonged when I signed up.
Maybe next time, we should just skip the long ones!
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
lengthy
extended
protracted
Antonyms
brief
short
temporary
verb
Definition
To make something last longer than it normally would.
Example
The meeting was prolonged due to the important discussions.
Tense Forms
Past: prolonged
Past Participle: prolonged
Conversation
I really prolonged our movie night by choosing a long film.
Yeah, that was a bit of a marathon, wasn't it?
I didn't realize it was over three hours long!
Root Explanation
Prolonged → It is formed from "pro-" (meaning forward) and "longus" (meaning long). The word "prolonged" means to make something longer or to extend it forward in time or space.
Memory Tip
Think of extending something 'forward' ('pro-') to make it 'longer' — that's why prolonged means to make something last longer.
Visually Confused Words
unprolonged
pronged
unprologued