prolong
Make it last
To prolong something is to extend its duration beyond what was expected or intended: The meeting was prolonged by endless debate, Don't prolong the agony.
The word carries a slight suggestion of something being stretched out, often unnecessarily or tediously, though it can be neutral: drugs that prolong life.
Extend duration unnecessarily
- stretchPull to extend
- draw outExtract or extend
- spin outLose vehicular control rotationally
- drag outExtend beyond necessary duration
pad · expand · amplify · augment · extend · continue · carry on · keep going
Keep something going continuously
- maintainKeep in condition
- persistContinue firmly onward
- persevereContinue despite obstacles
- endureSuffer through without yielding
withstand · weather · survive · last · carry through · hold out · keep up · retain
protract
Extend duration unnecessarily
drag out · pad · expand · amplify · augment · extend · continue · carry on · keep going · perpetuate
sustain
Keep something going continuously
endure · withstand · weather · survive · last · carry through · hold out · keep up · retain · uphold
postpone
Delay to later time
hold off · suspend · adjourn · procrastinate · drag · tarry · linger · dawdle · detain · impede
lifespan
Total existence duration
spell · stint · period · interval · stretch · term · phase · tenure · span · course
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate
- sustain synonymssupport, maintain, uphold, preserve, continue
- time verbswait, pause, delay, hasten, hurry
- perseverancepersist, never give up, tenacity, hang in there, endurance
- bring outdraw out, bring forth, elicit, evoke, educe
- artillerycannons, cannon, howitzers, howitzer, mortars
- prolonged laborChildbirth exceeding normal duration
- QT prolongationAbnormal heart repolarization delay
- prolonged exposureContinued subjection over time