ENGLISH
REFERENCE

protracted

adj.
C1 Advanced US //pɹoʊˈtɹæktɪd// UK //pɹətɹˈæktɪd// pro·tract·ed

adj. lasting for a long time, especially longer than you expected or wanted. It often describes something boring or difficult like a meeting or a war.

adj. lasting for a long time or longer than expected or usual. Often used to describe negative or tedious processes such as negotiations, conflicts, or illnesses.


SIMPLE

The two countries finally ended their protracted conflict.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of protracted negotiations, the two companies finally agreed on a merger price.

COMPLEX

The legal battle became a protracted affair that drained the family's savings and lasted nearly a decade before a settlement was reached.

Synonyms
Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun to describe processes or states of time.

Pitfall

The meeting was very protract.The meeting was very protracted.Learners sometimes treat the word as a base verb rather than using the participial adjective form 'protracted' to describe a state.

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