prolonged
Lasting too long
Prolonged means extended beyond the usual or expected duration.
A prolonged illness lingers; a prolonged silence grows uncomfortable.
The word often carries a negative connotation—something that continues longer than wanted: prolonged exposure to the sun, a prolonged legal battle.
Occasionally neutral: prolonged applause.
Lengthened in time or space
- lengthyOf excessive duration
- protractedExtended beyond normal duration
- sustainedKept up continuously
- chronicPersisting over time
persistent · continual · ongoing · continuous · uninterrupted · time-consuming · drawn-out · lingering
Extended beyond normal duration
- tediousBoring through length
- tiresomeCausing boredom or annoyance
- wearisomeCausing fatigue through monotony
- laboriousRequiring considerable effort
dragging · slow · rambling · overlong · monotonous · exhausting · grueling · arduous
Increased in degree
- escalatedIncreased in severity
- exacerbatedIncreased severity of
- amplifiedIncreased in strength
- deepenedBecame more profound
intensified · magnified · aggravated · worsened · compounded · accentuated · increased
extended
Lengthened in time or space
- lengthyOf excessive duration
- protractedExtended beyond normal duration
- sustainedKept up continuously
chronic · persistent · continual · ongoing · continuous · uninterrupted · time-consuming · drawn-out · lingering · enduring
drawn-out
Extended beyond normal duration
- tediousBoring through length
- tiresomeCausing boredom or annoyance
- wearisomeCausing fatigue through monotony
laborious · dragging · slow · rambling · overlong · monotonous · exhausting · grueling · arduous · trying
heightened
Increased in degree
- escalatedIncreased in severity
- exacerbatedIncreased severity of
- amplifiedIncreased in strength
deepened · intensified · magnified · aggravated · worsened · compounded · accentuated · increased
- timesecond, minute, hour, day, seconds
- time wordsminute, hour, day, now, soon
- ___ silencedeathly, eerie, awkward, uncomfortable, stunned
- seizuresseizure, epileptic, convulsion, fit, attack
- verb aspectsperfective, progressive, habitual, stative, continuous
- durabilitytoughness, durable, sturdiness, robustness, sturdy
- prolonged laborChildbirth exceeding normal duration
- QT prolongationAbnormal heart repolarization delay
- prolonged exposureContinued subjection over time