as in to lengthen
to make longer
the highway project was protracted by years of litigation
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Recent Examples of protract
Neither side has retreated from their maximalist claims, signaling that talks could be protracted.
—
Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the agreement at the Australian Parliament House after protracted negotiations that began in 2018.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
And, creditors generally prefer payment to protracted legal battles, so reaching out with a potential solution and negotiating an agreement both parties sign off on could accelerate resolution.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
But when a trio of dangerous outsiders interrupt the deadly weekend getaway Dan and Lisa had planned, what should have been a game of marital cat and mouse turns into a deliciously gory, if overly protracted, battle for survival.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protract
Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the agreement at the Australian Parliament House after protracted negotiations that began in 2018.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
And, creditors generally prefer payment to protracted legal battles, so reaching out with a potential solution and negotiating an agreement both parties sign off on could accelerate resolution.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
But when a trio of dangerous outsiders interrupt the deadly weekend getaway Dan and Lisa had planned, what should have been a game of marital cat and mouse turns into a deliciously gory, if overly protracted, battle for survival.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protract
Verb
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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
-
Ukraine has lengthened its striking arm and is now wreaking havoc across European Russia, much of which is now vulnerable to drone attacks.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Eveningside’s smaller arms holding on to the chains while Morningside’s longer arms propelled them, her fists and excess joints braced against the ground; their span lengthening, extending and retracting in the girls’ to and fro.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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The Lambert, North Oconee and Lake Oconee Academy girls continued to extend their dominance in high school golf, while two other schools earned their first titles as the GHSA championships concluded Tuesday throughout the state.—
Stan Awtrey,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
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China, the world's largest crude importer, has cushioned the worst of the energy shock through its strategic oil stockpiles and a diversified mix of renewable energy sources — though economists warn the buffer has limits as the disruption prolongs.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
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According to health officials, the hantavirus outbreak identified on the cruise ship is the Andes strain of the virus, which can spread between people but requires prolonged close contact with someone who is ill.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Salah’s comments followed a limp 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa on Friday that increased criticism of Slot and questions about his future in the job.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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In Los Angeles, for example, the city spent more than 50 million dollars in 2021 on policing homelessness, yet unsheltered homelessness still increased.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Verb
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But the bureaucracy of resettlement can stretch on for years, and by the early twenty-tens Jordan had one of the largest per-capita refugee populations on earth.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Our former swing state now has become a red state through and through thanks largely to the new congressional districts which are stretched to inane proportions.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protract. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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