EN

Synonyms for protract

  • verb

Most common

prolong draw out extend lengthen

All synonyms

Verb

1. Prolong — to draw out; to extend, especially in duration

prolong, draw out, extend, lengthen, elongate, procrastinate, continue, draw, produce, delay, spin, spin out, postpone, defer, prorogue, adjourn

Antonyms

shorten, curtail, abbreviate

All antonyms of protract →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To draw out; to extend, especially in duration.

Related words

Word family
protracted protractedly protractedness protractile protraction protractor protractible

Forms

Past participle
protracted
e.g. protracted → prolonged, extended, lengthened, elongated…

Choose the right word

Protract or Elongate?

To protract is to cause to occupy a longer time than is usual, expected, or desirable. Elongate is not used of actions or abstractions, but only of material objects or extension in space; protract is very rarely used of concrete objects or extension in space; we elongate a line, protract a discussion.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • extend I want to extend my stay here for a few more days.
  • prolong Look, I don't want to prolong this--you're fired.
  • lengthen The coat is a bit too short. Can you lengthen it?

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
protractfalling
extendfalling
prolongsteady
lengthensteady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters
draw1, spin1
5 letters
delay2, defer2
6 letters
extend2
7 letters
produce2, prolong2, adjourn2
8 letters
continue3, postpone2, lengthen2, elongate3, prorogue
13 letters
procrastinate4

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (delay2 = 2 syllables).