prolonged

adjective

pro·​longed prə-ˈlȯŋd 

: continuing for a notably long time : extended in duration

a prolonged delay

a prolonged recession

a prolonged absence

a prolonged drought

And in today's competitive situation a prolonged strike can very easily lead to a serious loss of market share which is difficult, if not impossible, to recapture.

—David Reid

Sometimes the only answer is a prolonged time away from the sport followed by a slow, steady reconditioning program along with physiotherapy of some type …

—William J. Goldwag

prolongedly

prə-ˈlȯŋ-əd-lē 

adverb

… and Andy demonstrates … the odd talent of coughing in his sleep, coughing prolongedly without waking himself.

—John Updike

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Plants and their parts are useful crime evidence because plant cell walls, spores, and pollens are distinctive enough to be recognizable and are composed of strong compounds that are resistant to destruction over prolonged periods of time. —Grrlscientist, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Despite the trees' resilience and speedy recovery, researchers found a decline in young aspens reaching maturity due to prolonged drought and unmanaged animals grazing. —John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 18 Nov. 2024

Fed by our changing snowpack, the mighty Colorado provides water to nearly 50 million Americans, irrigates some of the most important agricultural lands in the world, is over-allocated and stressed by prolonged drought and climate change. —Bill Ritter Jr., The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024

Both parties are preparing to challenge ballots, especially if mail-in or absentee votes are decisive in swing states, raising the possibility of prolonged court fights. —Mike Allen, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above