somewhat prolonged

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "somewhat prolonged" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has been extended or lasted longer than expected, but not excessively so. Example: "The meeting was somewhat prolonged, lasting nearly two hours instead of the usual one."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

As he suggests to Lowery Stokes Sims, a former director of the Studio Museum, in an interview that is the catalog's most substantial text, his artistic development may have been somewhat prolonged by his blackness.

The New York Times - Arts

More than 80% of both treatment groups developed FN during Induction 1. FN was somewhat prolonged in this phase (median 15 days for pegfilgrastim vs 14 days for filgrastim), but this probably reflects the predefined stipulation for resolution of both fever and neutropenia before the event was considered resolved.

BMC Cancer

Maybe being able to walk without dizziness is more important to an older patient than somewhat prolonged survival.

The New York Times

"It's the state of a somewhat prolonged conversation on what the right way forward is on this policy...but it's a good stake in the ground to say 'here's how we can re-introduce this plant.'".

Huffington Post

Furthermore, the increased blood loss could explain in part the somewhat prolonged ventilation and the trend for prolonged hospital stay in patients receiving TXA.

Critical Care

For most constructs, the half-lives were somewhat prolonged and ranged from 24 ± 1 to 40 ± 3 min at 5 μmol m−2 s−1 (31 ± 5 min in psd) compared to 10 to 22 min at 30 μmol m−2 s−1 in these constructs (20 ± 1 min in psd).

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Somewhat surprisingly, prolonged in vivo exposure (18 hrs) failed to significantly affect expression of SERCA and phospholamban, suggesting presence of compensatory mechanism or time-dependence in lethal toxin-induced response on Ca2+ regulatory proteins.

Plosone

The epic drive has been complicated and prolonged somewhat by unexpected wheel damage, which Curiosity began to accrue late last year.

Huffington Post

As shown in Figure  2, the presence of a pmIF did not change time to treatment significantly, but it was prolonged somewhat (with IF: 91 ± 152 days, range 1 729 days; without IF: 61 ± 109 days, range 1 859 days).

European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging

Compared with the first scenario, the cumulative impact of STW on employment increases from 0.1%to0.3.3% Moreover, STW tends to be somewhat more effective in prolonged recessions since this increases the likelihood that jobs are supported that would have been suppressed otherwise.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

In contrast, erlotinib with gemcitabine prolonged survival somewhat in patients with previously untreated advanced pancreatic cancer compared with gemcitabine alone (Moore et al, 2005).

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "somewhat prolonged", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being extended and the reason for the extension. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the intended meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "somewhat prolonged" when the extension is significant. Using it in such cases can understate the actual duration and mislead the reader. Choose a stronger descriptor like "significantly prolonged" or "substantially extended" if the duration is considerably longer.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "somewhat prolonged" functions as an adverb-adjective combination that modifies a noun or noun phrase to indicate that something has lasted or been extended for a duration that is a bit longer than usual. It acts as a qualifier, softening the impact of the adjective "prolonged". As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "somewhat prolonged" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that has been extended or lasted longer than expected, but not excessively so. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

The phrase sees usage across different domains, from Science to News & Media, making it versatile for descriptive writing. When writing with "somewhat prolonged", ensure you're not overstating the degree of extension; if it's a substantial increase, consider stronger alternatives. The related phrases like "slightly extended" or "moderately lengthened" offer ways to fine-tune your writing for precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

marginally prolonged

Highlights the minimal impact on duration, suitable when the extension is barely noticeable.

slightly extended

Indicates a minor increase in length or duration, emphasizing the small degree of extension.

a little extended

More informal alternative to 'slightly extended'.

mildly prolonged

Focuses on the intensity of the prolongation.

moderately lengthened

Suggests a medium degree of extension, implying a noticeable but not extreme increase in duration.

relatively prolonged

Emphasizes that the duration is long in comparison to something else.

a bit protracted

Uses a more formal tone to indicate that something has been drawn out, possibly beyond what is ideal.

slightly protracted

Similar to 'a bit protracted' but with a more neutral tone.

somewhat delayed

Shifts focus from duration to timing, suggesting a postponement to a limited extent.

somewhat lengthy

Focuses on the relative length rather than the act of prolonging.

FAQs

How can I use "somewhat prolonged" in a sentence?

Use "somewhat prolonged" to describe something that lasted a bit longer than expected or usual. For example, "The meeting was somewhat prolonged due to unexpected questions."

What are some alternatives to "somewhat prolonged"?

Alternatives include "slightly extended", "moderately lengthened", or "a bit protracted" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "somewhat prolonged" in formal writing?

Yes, "somewhat prolonged" is appropriate for formal writing, but consider alternatives like "slightly extended" or "moderately lengthened" for a more precise tone.

What's the difference between "somewhat prolonged" and "significantly prolonged"?

"Somewhat prolonged" indicates a slight extension, while "significantly prolonged" suggests a more substantial increase in duration. The choice depends on the degree of extension you want to convey.