prolonged effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prolonged effort" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when talking about a task that required a lot of commitment and hard work over a period of time to get the desired results. For example: "John was confident he would succeed in his task, but it was a prolonged effort that eventually paid off."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

That is, in order for these little things to add up to meeting the big goals we have, there must be prolonged effort.

WikiHow

The Hard Questions A Brief Intervention Or a Prolonged Effort?

The New York Times

Tory social justice policy will be a sustained, prolonged effort to reinforce the points of light.

Independent

But at times, the prolonged effort to pander to younger viewers was downright painful.

The New York Times

The debate at Hofstra caps a prolonged effort by the university to have a voice in the nation's political discourse.

The New York Times

His disability, involving his heart, was caused by prolonged effort and exposure during a vacation in the Adirondacks in 1898.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

Both the International Law Commission and the General Assembly undertook prolonged efforts that eventually resulted in agreement in 1974.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In some cases, Yoo's condition of "specific intent" to commit acts of torture is clear from declassified interrogation logs, which reveal systematic and prolonged efforts to induce psychological states of debility, dependence and dread, euphemistically referred to as "ego down", "futility" and "fear up harsh".

The Guardian - Opinion

The doomed flight, carrying 94 people - 68 of them Iranian journalists assigned to cover military exercises in the southern port of Bandar Abbas - was scheduled to leave Tehran's Mehrabad airport at 7am, but did not depart until seven hours later following prolonged efforts to solve mechanical problems, according to local media.

The Guardian

Despite prolonged efforts aimed to correlate molecular composition and structural arrangements of humic substances with their biological activity on higher plants, the involved mechanisms of action are yet to be elucidated [4-7].

Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture

Before it could reach its destination the ship was trapped in pack ice, and by 14 February 1915 was held fast, despite prolonged efforts to free her.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "prolonged effort" when you want to emphasize the length of time and commitment required for a task or project. It's particularly effective when describing challenges that demand perseverance.

Common error

Avoid using "prolonged effort" in casual conversations or informal writing. In these settings, simpler terms like "long time", "a lot of work", or "extended period" may be more appropriate and less pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prolonged effort" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. As Ludwig AI explains, it describes a sustained commitment of time and energy to achieve a particular goal. Examples in Ludwig illustrate its use in contexts ranging from political discourse to scientific research.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Encyclopedias

20%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prolonged effort" is a noun phrase denoting a sustained commitment of time and energy to achieve a goal. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While suitable for formal contexts like news reporting and academic writing, simpler phrases might be preferable in informal settings. Related phrases include "sustained exertion" and "extended endeavor". Common errors involve overuse in casual conversation. Ludwig's examples from sources like The New York Times and Encyclopedia Britannica underscore its role in describing long-term commitment and perseverance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sustained exertion

Replaces "effort" with "exertion", emphasizing the energy expended.

extended endeavor

Substitutes "effort" with "endeavor", suggesting a serious attempt or undertaking of long duration.

protracted campaign

Replaces "effort" with "campaign", implying a planned series of actions over time.

lengthy struggle

Uses "struggle" instead of "effort", highlighting the difficulty involved.

enduring commitment

Focuses on the dedication aspect, replacing "effort" with "commitment".

persistent striving

Emphasizes continuous attempts and hard work.

continuous push

Highlights the sustained nature of the effort.

relentless pursuit

Suggests an unwavering and determined effort.

ongoing attempt

Replaces "prolonged" with "ongoing" and "effort" with "attempt", indicating a continuing effort.

determined undertaking

Emphasizes the resolution behind the effort.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "prolonged effort" in a sentence?

Use "prolonged effort" to describe situations where dedication and time were essential to achieve a goal. For example, "The project's success was due to a "prolonged effort" by the entire team".

What are some alternatives to "prolonged effort"?

You can use alternatives such as "sustained effort", "extended endeavor", or "protracted campaign" depending on the specific context.

Is "prolonged effort" suitable for both formal and informal writing?

While grammatically correct, "prolonged effort" is more appropriate for formal writing. In informal contexts, simpler phrases like "long time" or "a lot of work" might be more suitable.

What distinguishes "prolonged effort" from similar phrases like "hard work"?

"Prolonged effort" specifically emphasizes the duration and continuous nature of the work, whereas "hard work" simply denotes the intensity of the effort, without necessarily implying a long period.