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Definition of protract

protract

/proʊˈtrækt/
pro · tract
Adjective:protracted
•
Past Simple:protracted
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Past Participle:protracted
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Present Participle:protracting
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protract Lexical Profile

protract Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To prolong in time or cause to last longer than necessary or expected.

Example

"Filing additional appeals will only protract the legal proceedings for several more months."

2

To thrust forward or extend outward a body part or anatomical organ (such as a tongue, claw, or jaw).

Example

"The chameleon can rapidly protract its sticky tongue to capture insects from a distance."

3

To draw or plot a plan, survey, or geometric figure to scale using measuring instruments.

Example

"The surveyor used a compass and straightedge to protract the boundaries of the estate onto parchment."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for protract

• Nearby Words

prototype
prototypical
prototypically
protract
protracted
protraction
protractor

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin protractus, the past participle of protrahere ('to draw forth, drag out, or prolong'), formed from pro- ('forward') and trahere ('to draw or pull').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Protract. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/protract
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