elon·gate
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt 
(ˌ)ē-,
ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-
elongated; elongating
: to extend the length of
: to grow in length
elongate
2 of 2variant of elongate entry 1
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.
Examples of elongate in a Sentence
Verb
These stretching exercises can help elongate your leg muscles.
New medical procedures have elongated the careers of many athletes.
the giraffe's elongate neck is thought to be the result of natural selection
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
So, a Super Bowl champion seeking to elongate its golden era will want to afford itself the luxury of options with a strong hit rate on rookies who’ll play under affordable contracts.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Milk Chocolate For those with darker skin tones, a milk chocolate mani will match seamlessly and elongate fingers.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elongate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Whistler elongates the fashionable figures into letter openers, and life into a series of dinner invitations to be sliced open.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
So, a Super Bowl champion seeking to elongate its golden era will want to afford itself the luxury of options with a strong hit rate on rookies who’ll play under affordable contracts.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The tusk, which is actually an elongated tooth, is mainly found in males and can grow up to 10 feet long.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Milk Chocolate For those with darker skin tones, a milk chocolate mani will match seamlessly and elongate fingers.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elongate
Cite this Entry
“Elongate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elongate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elongate
1 of 2 verb
elon·gate
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt
elongated; elongating
: to make or grow longer
elongation
noun
(ˌ)ē-ˌlȯŋ-ˈgā-shən
elongate
2 of 2 adjective
variants
or elongated
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt-əd
: stretched out
especially
: being much greater in length than in width
Medical Definition
elongate
1 of 2 verb
elon·gate
i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt
elongated; elongating
: to extend the length of
: to grow in length
elongate
2 of 2 adjective
variants
or elongated
: long in proportion to width
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share