long-acting

American  

[lawng-ak-ting, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈæk tɪŋ, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

Pharmacology.

1. sustained-release.

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long-acting British  

adjective

1. (of a drug) slowly effective after initial dosage, but maintaining its effects over a long period of time, being slowly absorbed and persisting in the tissues before being excreted Compare intermediate-acting short-acting

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Etymology

Origin of long-acting

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

In patients who already produce normal or elevated levels of endogenous GLP-1, flooding those same receptors with long-acting agonists may push a finely tuned system past its adaptive range.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026

New drug developments include long-acting GLP1s, non-GLP1s, and amylin-based treatments, offering alternatives for patients.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Maternal vaccination during the third trimester of pregnancy and passive immunization of newborns using long-acting antibodies are being rolled out in many countries.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2025

Metsera’s obesity portfolio, which includes a long-acting injection that would require fewer shots than Lilly’s drugs, clearly has potential to compete in that category.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 2, 2025

And rural providers may not be able to afford to stock long-acting birth control devices or may not be trained in administering them, program leaders say.

From Salon • Oct. 20, 2024