prolong
gb/pɹəlˈɔŋ/ us/pɹəlˈɔŋ/
B2
English
~ 10000
meghosszabbít
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
to prolong [something]
The medication can prolong a patient’s life by several years.
A gyógyszer több évvel is meghosszabbíthatja a beteg életét.
We don’t want to prolong the meeting, so please keep your comments brief.
Nem akarjuk meghosszabbítani a megbeszélést, ezért kérjük, fogalmazz röviden.
Delays in making a decision will only prolong the uncertainty for everyone involved.
The government’s actions may prolong the economic crisis.
He refused painkillers because he didn’t want to prolong the recovery process.
Learner examples
Stress can prolong an illness.
A stressz meghosszabbíthat egy betegséget.
Cold weather can prolong the drying time of paint.
A hideg idő meghosszabbíthatja a festék száradási idejét.
Let’s not prolong this argument.
The new treatment can prolong his life.
Waiting for more data will only prolong the project.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *prolong* when they mean *delay* or *postpone*. *Prolong* means to make something continue longer once it has started (e.g., "prolong the meeting"), while *delay* or *postpone* mean to make something start later (e.g., "delay the meeting"). Learners also sometimes say "make it more long" instead of using the single verb *prolong* or *make it last longer*.
Meaning
make something last longer
Collocations
prolong life
|prolong the meeting
|prolong the discussion
|prolong the conflict
|prolong suffering
|needlessly prolong
Synonyms
extend (More general; can refer to time, space, or range, while "prolong" is mainly about time.)
|
lengthen (Often used for physical length or time; slightly more concrete and everyday than "prolong".)
|
drag out (Informal; suggests something is made longer in an annoying or boring way.)
Antonyms
shorten (Means to make something shorter in time or length, the direct opposite of making it longer.)
|
cut short (Means to stop something earlier than planned, the opposite of continuing it longer.)
Themes
time
|medicine
|work
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something continue for more time than before.
To cause something to continue for a longer period of time than it otherwise would.
Grammar
Dictionary form
prolong
IPA
GB/pɹəlˈɔŋ/
US/pɹəlˈɔŋ/
Syllables & stress
pro - long (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (long)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: prolong
- 3rd Person Singular: prolongs
- Present Participle: prolonging
- Past: prolonged
Word family
Forms
prolongs
verb
prolonging
verb
prolonged
verb
Negative and opposite forms
shorten
verb A2
Advanced or less common
prolongation
noun
Expressions
prolong the agony
1/pɹəlˈɔŋ ðə ˈæɡəni/
idiom
informal
Make suffering or suspense last longer
To make a time of pain, sadness, or waiting longer than needed.
Examples
- Let’s not prolong the agony—just tell us the result.
- They prolonged the agony by delaying the announcement.
prolong the agony
2/pɹəlˈɔŋ ðə ˈæɡəni/
idiom
delay something unpleasant unnecessarily
To wait longer before doing or saying something unpleasant, making people feel bad for more time.
Examples
- I won’t prolong the agony—here are the exam results.
- Let’s not prolong the agony; just tell her the truth now.