long

/lɔŋ/

/lɒŋ/

Other forms: longer; longing; longed; longest; longs; longly

To strongly crave or desire something is to long for it. No matter how healthful your diet is, you'll still occasionally long for chocolate, cookies, and cake.

The adjective long describes something that stretches over a large distance. If you're trying to avoid a prolonged visit with your crazy Aunt Martha, you might decide to take the long way to her house. The adjective long also describes something that lasts for an extended amount of time. When your Aunt Martha comes to your house, a half-hour can seem like a long, long time.

Definitions of long
  1. adjective
    primarily spatial sense; of relatively great or greater than average spatial extension or extension as specified
    “a long road”
    “a long distance”
    “contained many long words”
    “ten miles long”
    Synonyms:
    elongate, elongated
    having notably more length than width; being long and slender
    elongated, extended, lengthened, prolonged
    drawn out or made longer spatially
    extendable, extendible
    capable of being lengthened
    far
    being of a considerable distance or length
    lank
    long and thin and often limp
    long-handled, pole-handled
    having a long handle
    long-range
    suitable for or reaching long distances
    long-snouted
    having a snout that is longer than average
    long-staple
    having relatively long fibers
    long-wool, long-wooled
    (of sheep) having relatively long wool
    oblong
    deviating from a square or circle or sphere by being elongated in one direction
    polysyllabic, sesquipedalian
    (of words) long and ponderous; having many syllables
    stretch
    having an elongated seating area
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    short
    (primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length
    abbreviated, brief
    (of clothing) very short
    close
    used of hair or haircuts
    curtal
    (obsolete) cut short
    sawed-off, sawn-off, shortened
    cut short
    shortish
    somewhat short
    short-range
    limited to short distances
    short-snouted
    having a snout that is shorter than average
    snub
    unusually short
    stubby
    short and blunt
    shortened, telescoped
    shortened by or as if by means of parts that slide one within another or are crushed one into another
    truncate, truncated
    terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    of relatively great height
    “"a race of long gaunt men"- Sherwood Anderson”
    “looked out the long French windows”
    Synonyms:
    tall
    great in vertical dimension; high in stature
  3. adverb
    for an extended distance
  4. adjective
    primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
    “a long life”
    “a long boring speech”
    “a long time”
    “a long friendship”
    “a long game”
    “long ago”
    “an hour long”
    Synonyms:
    agelong
    lasting through all time
    bimestrial
    two months long; lasting two months
    chronic, continuing
    of long duration
    daylong
    lasting through an entire day
    drawn-out, extended, lengthy, prolonged, protracted
    relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
    durable, lasting, long-lasting, long-lived
    existing for a long time
    eight-day
    lasting for eight days
    endless, eternal, interminable
    tiresomely long; seemingly without end
    hourlong
    lasting for an hour
    lifelong, womb-to-tomb
    continuing through life
    long-acting
    active over a long period of time
    long-dated
    of a gilt-edged security; having more than 15 years to run before redemption
    longish
    somewhat long
    long-life
    (of perishable goods) treated to stay fresh longer than usual
    longitudinal
    over an extended time
    long-range
    involving an extended span of time
    long-run, long-term, semipermanent
    relating to or extending over a relatively long time
    longstanding
    having existed for a long time
    monthlong
    last through a month
    all-night, nightlong, overnight
    lasting, open, or operating through the whole night
    perennial
    lasting an indefinitely long time; suggesting self-renewal
    time-consuming
    of a task that takes time and patience
    seven-day, weeklong
    lasting through a week
    yearlong
    lasting through a year
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    short
    primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
    abbreviated, shortened, truncated
    cut short in duration
    brief
    of short duration or distance
    clipped
    (of speech) having quick short sounds
    fleeting, fugitive, momentaneous, momentary
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    short and sweet
    dealt with very quickly; to the point
    short-dated
    of a gilt-edged security; having less than 5 years to run before redemption
    short-range
    relating to the near future
    short-run, short-term
    relating to or extending over a limited period
    show more antonyms...
  5. adjective
    (of speech sounds or syllables) of relatively long duration
    “the English vowel sounds in `bate', `beat', `bite', `boat', `boot' are long”
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    short
    of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration
  6. adjective
    planning prudently for the future
    “took a long view of the geopolitical issues”
    synonyms: farseeing, farsighted, foresighted, foresightful, longsighted, prospicient
    provident
    providing carefully for the future
  7. adjective
    good at remembering
    synonyms: recollective, retentive, tenacious
    aware, mindful
    bearing in mind; attentive to
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    forgetful, short, unretentive
    (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range
    forgetful, mindless, unmindful
    not mindful or attentive
    show more antonyms...
  8. adverb
    for an extended time or at a distant time
    “a promotion long overdue”
    “something long hoped for”
    “his name has long been forgotten”
    “talked all night long”
    “how long will you be gone?”
    “arrived long before he was expected”
    “it is long after your bedtime”
  9. adjective
    involving substantial risk
    “long odds”
    Synonyms:
    unsound
    not sound financially
  10. adjective
    holding securities or commodities in expectation of a rise in prices
    “is long on coffee”
    “a long position in gold”
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    short
    not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices
  11. adjective
    having or being more than normal or necessary:"long on brains"
    “in long supply”
    Synonyms:
    abundant, aplenty
    present in great quantity
  12. verb
    desire strongly or persistently
    synonyms: hanker, yearn
    see moresee less
    types:
    ache, languish, pine, yearn, yen
    have a desire for something or someone who is not present
    die
    languish as with love or desire
    type of:
    desire, want
    feel or have a desire for; want strongly
Pronunciation
US

/lɔŋ/
UK

/lɒŋ/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘long'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing long

"The Pale Mare" and "Caged Bird"

Edge: Level A, Volume 1, Unit 3, Cluster 3. Here are links to the other clusters within Unit 3: "Heart Beat" and "Behind the Bulk", "I Go Along" and "Theme for English B", "The Pale Mare" and "Caged Bird"

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