as in lengthened
to make longer
the highway project was protracted by years of litigation
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as in prolonged
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Recent Examples of protracted
Alpaslan Ozerdem, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
Ernst was a focus of major attention during the protracted discussion over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation.
—Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2025
The alternative is a protracted and costly legal battle.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
Has the Jewish state and its military made mistakes during its protracted and brutal war with Hamas?
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Her decision to accept voluntary departure shows that immigrants who grew up in the United States, many with no criminal record, are choosing to leave on their own accord rather than endure months of detention and protracted legal battles.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
These states, Texas, California, and everybody who follows, red and blue, are now going to be locked in court fights, protracted legal battles.
—NBC news, 17 Aug. 2025
Zombies are what happen when a juvenile life stage is unnaturally protracted.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Today’s deal closure brings to an end the longest, most protracted, and hectic example of M&A activity in recent Hollywood memory.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
However, as suggested here, some impacts may be no less harmful or protracted.
—New Atlas, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
Why the odds look better this time The conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK has been one of the most protracted and violent struggles in the world.
—Alpaslan Ozerdem, The Conversation, 2 Sep. 2025
Ernst was a focus of major attention during the protracted discussion over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation.
—Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2025
The alternative is a protracted and costly legal battle.
—Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
Has the Jewish state and its military made mistakes during its protracted and brutal war with Hamas?
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The dialogue becomes rather protracted as the person pours out their heart.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Her decision to accept voluntary departure shows that immigrants who grew up in the United States, many with no criminal record, are choosing to leave on their own accord rather than endure months of detention and protracted legal battles.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
These states, Texas, California, and everybody who follows, red and blue, are now going to be locked in court fights, protracted legal battles.
—NBC news, 17 Aug. 2025
Zombies are what happen when a juvenile life stage is unnaturally protracted.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Today’s deal closure brings to an end the longest, most protracted, and hectic example of M&A activity in recent Hollywood memory.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
However, as suggested here, some impacts may be no less harmful or protracted.
—New Atlas, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protracted
Verb
-
One of two exit ramp lanes at the Interstate 24 interchange at Exit 81 near South Church Street as the westbound off ramps will be lengthened and widened, according to TDOT.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Over the past 20 years, one single device has unequivocally lengthened the amount of time most people spend sitting.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The researchers concluded that many bodies were treated with prolonged smoke-drying over fire before burial, a practice the researchers believe is similar to mortuary traditions recorded among indigenous groups in Australia and the New Guinea Highlands.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In its own storied past, Earth experienced prolonged eruptions of lava in single regions, known as large igneous provinces (LIPs), that lasted for hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of years.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kraft had an 8-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that extended Green Bay’s lead to 24-10.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The 9-inch monochrome CRT was retained, but the floppy drive no longer had a door, and the keyboard was extended with several special keys.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s going to be interminable.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
And for several seemingly interminable minutes, POTUS is absent, his video screen in the Situation Room a blank square.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Barely any other media in recent times has given me an instant shock of glee or revulsion like this absurd anarcho-cartoon being stretched and squeezed to its most grotesque and wholesome clickbait limits.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
10 Sep. 2025
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Dizon & Truong had to play last weeks’ Japan Open champions Yufei Long & Ting Chieh Wei in the quarters before getting stretched to a third game by two of Australia’s best in Nicola Schoeman and Danni-Elle Townsend in the semis.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
When the front door opens, they’re greeted by an androgynous person with longish hair, thick eyebrows and a deep voice.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Pontiac’s Firebird had a longish life in car years, with four generations spanning 1967 to 2002.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
That Carroll took such umbrage only increased Harbaugh’s smile, making for a better story.—
Jay Paris,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Plenty of timepiece brands increased their prices, too, in response to those initial tariff figures back in April, according to Hodinkee.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Their new collaboration is more satisfying than that uneven and overlong puzzle box, not to mention more readily coherent as a narrative.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Yet the historical resonance falls flat amid the film’s overlong runtime, unlikable characters and shaky accents that most actors stumble in and out of.—
Itzel Luna,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Protracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protracted. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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