as in extension
the act of making longer
a lengthening of the school year is favored by many of the parents in the school district
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stretching
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lengthening
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Instead, gently encourage the lengthening of your muscles.
—Gerard Hartmann, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
The researchers also searched for molecular signs of a process called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), a telomere-extending mechanism that doesn’t rely on the usual enzyme, telomerase.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Spanx AirEssentials Wide-leg Pant These mid-rise, wide-leg pants offer a relaxed fit that creates a leg-lengthening effect.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Below, shop the nine best lengthening mascaras, backed by experts and editors alike.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
This pair of white straight-leg jeans resembles the model’s denim look with their high-rise waist and leg-lengthening profile.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Available in regular, short, and long sizes, the tapered, wide-leg style creates a leg-lengthening illusion, and the high pocket placements in the back are butt-boosting.
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
The onslaught had forced container shipping companies to sail around southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to reach destinations in Europe, North America and South America, lengthening ocean freight transit times in many cases by one to two weeks.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Jan. 2026
Exhale, then round your spine, tucking your chin slightly and pulling your bellybutton inward, lengthening your tailbone.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Sport, the report says, should use its big events to encourage innovation and influence consumer behaviour, as well as becoming more sustainable by cutting waste, reducing its carbon footprint and lengthening the lifespan of sporting equipment.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
The solstice signifies the start of winter and also heralds the incremental lengthening of days, symbolizing hope and renewal in many cultures.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Instead, gently encourage the lengthening of your muscles.
—Gerard Hartmann, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
The researchers also searched for molecular signs of a process called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), a telomere-extending mechanism that doesn’t rely on the usual enzyme, telomerase.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
Why People Love It During its prime trending era in the 1950s, as well as into modern times, boatneck shirts are most known for being flattering on your form—skimming across your collarbones in a lengthening, elegant way.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Spanx AirEssentials Wide-leg Pant These mid-rise, wide-leg pants offer a relaxed fit that creates a leg-lengthening effect.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Below, shop the nine best lengthening mascaras, backed by experts and editors alike.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
This pair of white straight-leg jeans resembles the model’s denim look with their high-rise waist and leg-lengthening profile.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Available in regular, short, and long sizes, the tapered, wide-leg style creates a leg-lengthening illusion, and the high pocket placements in the back are butt-boosting.
—Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
The onslaught had forced container shipping companies to sail around southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to reach destinations in Europe, North America and South America, lengthening ocean freight transit times in many cases by one to two weeks.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 Jan. 2026
Exhale, then round your spine, tucking your chin slightly and pulling your bellybutton inward, lengthening your tailbone.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 15 Jan. 2026
Sport, the report says, should use its big events to encourage innovation and influence consumer behaviour, as well as becoming more sustainable by cutting waste, reducing its carbon footprint and lengthening the lifespan of sporting equipment.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lengthening
Noun
-
The study didn’t determine whether any particular amount of chemical exposure from the hair extensions was above legal standards or would necessarily cause health issues in people, however.—
Aude Konan,
Scientific American,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Sign Pickens to an extension The quickest final conclusion that could possibly happen is the team simply signing him to a long-term extension before March 11.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Scores of providers sprang up along a corridor stretching west from the San Gabriel Valley through the San Fernando Valley, which now has the highest concentration of hospices in the nation.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Democrats in Congress are also demanding that immigration agents stop wearing masks as a condition for extending Department of Homeland Security funding.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Back then, the district would hire teachers in the first semester and wait to see how students moved around before extending their contracts to a full year.—
Carley Lanich,
IndyStar,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Now, decoupling supply chains are driving manufacturing growth in the West once more, electric vehicles and home heat pumps need to be plugged in, and the makers of AI’s large language models have ever-increasing power needs.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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The move marks a broader trend from the brand, which has been increasing its visibility to new markets through the world of sports, and, at the moment, none is hotter than that of F1.—
Blake Buettner,
Robb Report,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The current deal framework would cede sovereignty but lease the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, ban other nations from utilizing nearby islands without British consent, and open the door to negotiations prolonging the arrangement in 40-year intervals.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
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Heat also can raise evaporation rates, further stressing vegetation and prolonging dry conditions, especially when winds increase.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Houston Chronicle,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lee Mid-Rise Bootcut Pants For petite shoppers in particular, flare pants can have an elongating effect, according to Foster.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The unpinchable high-rise waistband offers ample support and just enough shaping, while the rest of the pants remain fitted to the body and then flare out at the knee for a free-flowing, leg-elongating silhouette.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lengthening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lengthening. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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