elongate
1 of 2verb
elon·gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt 
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
elongated; elongating
transitive verb
: to extend the length of
intransitive verb
: to grow in length
elongate
2 of 2adjective
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgā-təd
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
variants or elongated
1
: stretched out
2
: slender
Did you know?
Elongate is often found in scientific writing, but the adjective elongated is more common, and frequently used to describe body parts in discussions of anatomy. This was even the case when the superhero Elongated Man made his appearance back in 1960. But some other characters with the same powers—Plastic Man, Elastic Lad, and Mr. Fantastic—ended up having longer careers.
Synonyms
Verb
- drag (out)
- draw out
- extend
- lengthen
- outstretch
- prolong
- protract
- stretch
Adjective
- extended
- king-size
- king-sized
- lengthy
- long
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb These stretching exercises can help elongate your leg muscles. New medical procedures have elongated the careers of many athletes. Adjective the giraffe's elongate neck is thought to be the result of natural selection
Recent Examples on the Web
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 25 Aug. 2022 Halter and cami straps provide additional support and help elongate the body. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 4 Aug. 2022 Both to elongate my legs and keep me as far away from the New York City pavement as possible. The Editors, Town & Country, 29 July 2022 Not only is her team 80% female, but the clothes themselves are flattering in an off-duty-CEO kind of way—think curve-hugging slip dresses, comfortable but sleek sneakers and boot heels, and pants that elongate the body without being way too tight. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2022 Tempo increases muscles’ time under tension and emphasizes the eccentric phase of muscle contraction (when muscle fibers elongate under a load, also called negatives). Hayden Carpenter, Outside Online, 11 July 2020 The metal doesn’t physically elongate; rather, the tolerances between the chain’s individual parts increase as material wears away. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2020 In every other direction, the emptiness seemed to elongate, growing bluer and more chilled. Suzannah Showler, Harper’s Magazine , 27 Apr. 2022 Off star and Oscar winner to elongate the swear in such a dramatic way. Clark Collis, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2022 See More
Verb
Monroe's famous sleepy bedroom eyes are actually a makeup trick, using eyeshadow and white eyeliner to elongate the lower lash line to help eyes appear bigger and brighter. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 25 Aug. 2022 Halter and cami straps provide additional support and help elongate the body. Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 4 Aug. 2022 Both to elongate my legs and keep me as far away from the New York City pavement as possible. The Editors, Town & Country, 29 July 2022 Not only is her team 80% female, but the clothes themselves are flattering in an off-duty-CEO kind of way—think curve-hugging slip dresses, comfortable but sleek sneakers and boot heels, and pants that elongate the body without being way too tight. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2022 Tempo increases muscles’ time under tension and emphasizes the eccentric phase of muscle contraction (when muscle fibers elongate under a load, also called negatives). Hayden Carpenter, Outside Online, 11 July 2020 The metal doesn’t physically elongate; rather, the tolerances between the chain’s individual parts increase as material wears away. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2020 In every other direction, the emptiness seemed to elongate, growing bluer and more chilled. Suzannah Showler, Harper’s Magazine , 27 Apr. 2022 Off star and Oscar winner to elongate the swear in such a dramatic way. Clark Collis, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Late Latin elongatus, past participle of elongare to withdraw, from Latin e- + longus
First Known Use
Verb
1578, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Adjective
1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
elongate
verb
elon·gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt
elongated; elongating
: to make or grow longer
Medical Definition
elongate 1 of 2
verb
elon·gate i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt
elongated; elongating
transitive verb
: to extend the length of
intransitive verb
: to grow in length
elongate
2 of 2adjective
variants or elongated
: long in proportion to width
elongating 1 of 2
noun
as in elongation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- elongation
- extending
- prolonging
- stretching
- prolongation
- extension
- protraction
- growth
- expansion
- extensiveness
- lengthiness
- diffuseness
- volubility
- verboseness
- talkiness
- prolixity
- garrulousness
- spread
- bulkiness
- wordiness
- bigness
- largeness
- talkativeness
- greatness
- long-windedness
- heftiness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shortness
- contraction
- reducing
- compression
- brevity
- shortening
- conciseness
- condensation
- diminishing
- decreasing
- abbreviation
- curtailment
- shrinking
- abridgement
- abridgment
- briefness
- lessening
elongating
2 of 2verb
as in lengthening
to make longer in his paintings the artist elongated the bodies of angels to give them a spiritual quality Synonyms & Similar Words
- lengthening
- stretching
- extending
- increasing
- prolonging
- protracting
- expanding
- enlarging
- drawing out
- outstretching
- amplifying
- thinning
- attenuating
- dragging (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shortening
- cutting
- reducing
- curtailing
- decreasing
- abridging
- diminishing
- abbreviating
- lessening
- thickening
- cutting back