protracted meeting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "protracted meeting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a meeting that is extended in duration, often longer than expected or necessary. Example: "The protracted meeting lasted for over three hours, leaving everyone exhausted by the end."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But a protracted meeting of the House Republican Conference on Tuesday night made it clear that passage of Mr. Boehner's proposal would be difficult.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Senate Democrats emerged from a protracted lunch meeting over the plan voicing only grudging support.

The New York Times

"While Foia with some agencies can be akin to a protracted business meeting or an attempt to get telephone customer support from a telecom over a holiday weekend," he said.

The Guardian

Can it work in the Iowa caucuses, which by reputation demand that successful campaigns guide supporters to protracted midwinter meetings in schools, firehouses and church basements?

The New York Times

The whole protracted failure in meeting responsibilities happened on his watch; his responsibility cannot end in his comfortable retirement".

Independent

Now, back to that protracted County Commission meeting the other night, where 8 of the 19 chairs around the horseshoe-shaped table were unoccupied.

The New York Times

There are protracted round-table meetings, I'm told, and sometimes heated discussion when a book comes in with a title that won't do it any favours at all, or so the team feels.

Independent

BAGHDAD — Moktada al-Sadr, the anti-American cleric in exile with a sizable bloc of followers in Iraq's new Parliament, took his first direct public step into the country's protracted political impasse on Monday, meeting in Syria with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's top rival to lead a new government.

The New York Times

Leading a delegation that included a former Senate colleague, Russ Feingold, whom he appointed as his special envoy to the Great Lakes region last month, Mr. Kerry's main order of business at the United Nations on Thursday was to lead a special Security Council meeting on the protracted conflicts in the area that he said had been "beleaguered by targeted, egregious violence".

The New York Times

Against all this is the hard fact that acting in concert in recent years has been painfully hard, as the protracted and often fruitless strategy group meetings on regulation changes have proved.

The Guardian - Sport

When they did last year, it often came in the form of protracted, and public arguments during commission meetings.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "protracted meeting" when you want to emphasize that a meeting was longer than expected or desirable, especially when discussing negotiations, debates, or complex issues.

Common error

Avoid using "protracted" when you mean "productive". "Protracted" refers to the duration of the meeting, not its effectiveness or outcome. A "protracted meeting" may or may not be productive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "protracted meeting" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "protracted" modifies the noun "meeting". It indicates that the meeting was notably long and potentially tedious. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "protracted meeting" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe meetings that extend for a considerable duration. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently found in news, business, and formal contexts, denoting a meeting that is longer than expected or desired. While alternatives like ""lengthy meeting"" or ""long meeting"" exist, "protracted meeting" often carries a subtle connotation of tediousness or complexity. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure the phrase aligns with the intended meaning and context, avoiding confusion with terms like "productive". Understanding these nuances helps writers use the phrase accurately and effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lengthy meeting

Focuses on the duration of the meeting, implying it was long.

long meeting

A simple and direct way to describe a meeting that took a considerable amount of time.

extended meeting

Highlights the fact that the meeting went beyond its initially scheduled time.

drawn-out meeting

Emphasizes the slowness and tediousness of the meeting.

prolonged meeting

Similar to "protracted", but may subtly suggest a more formal context.

overlong meeting

Suggests the meeting was excessively long, perhaps unnecessarily so.

time-consuming meeting

Focuses on the amount of time the meeting required.

laborious meeting

Highlights the effort and difficulty involved in the meeting.

tedious meeting

Emphasizes the boring and monotonous nature of the meeting.

interminable meeting

Implies the meeting seemed to go on forever, often with a negative connotation.

FAQs

How can I use "protracted meeting" in a sentence?

You can use "protracted meeting" to describe a meeting that lasted longer than expected. For example, "The "protracted meeting" about the budget lasted for three hours."

What are some alternatives to "protracted meeting"?

Some alternatives include "lengthy meeting", "long meeting", or "extended meeting", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "protracted meeting" or "long meeting"?

"Protracted meeting" implies a meeting that was excessively long or tedious, while "long meeting" simply indicates that the meeting was of considerable duration. The choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

What does "protracted" mean in the context of a "protracted meeting"?

In the context of "protracted meeting", "protracted" means extended in time; prolonged. It suggests that the meeting was longer than anticipated or desired.