30 Idioms for Long Time
1. Forever and a day
Meaning: A very long time that feels endless.
Example: It took forever and a day to get the permit.
Alternatives: Ages, eons, forever.
2. Donkey’s years
Meaning: A humorously long period (chiefly UK).
Example: I haven’t seen her in donkey’s years.
Alternatives: Yonks, ages, coon’s age.
3. Yonks
Meaning: British slang for a very long time.
Example: We’ve waited yonks for the sequel.
Alternatives: Donkey’s years, ages, forever.
4. Coon’s age
Meaning: Old-fashioned American idiom for a long duration.
Example: That car’s been sitting there a coon’s age.
Alternatives: Dog’s age, donkey’s years, yonks.
5. Dog’s age
Meaning: Informal US phrase for many years.
Example: I haven’t played guitar in a dog’s age.
Alternatives: Coon’s age, ages, forever.
6. In ages
Meaning: For a very long period (common colloquial).
Example: We haven’t met in ages!
Alternatives: In years, forever, yonks.
7. In years
Meaning: Emphatic phrase for lengthy absence.
Example: It’s been years since my last vacation.
Alternatives: In ages, forever, donkey’s years.
8. Since forever
Meaning: Hyperbolic way to say an extremely long time.
Example: That myth has been around since forever.
Alternatives: Since the dawn of time, ages, eons.
9. Since the dawn of time
Meaning: From the very beginning of history.
Example: Humans have told stories since the dawn of time.
Alternatives: Since forever, eons, ages.
10. For eons
Meaning: Geological-scale long duration.
Example: The rock formed for eons under pressure.
Alternatives: Ages, forever, millennia.
11. For ages
Meaning: Very common idiom for a lengthy period.
Example: I waited for ages at the clinic.
Alternatives: Forever, yonks, eons.
12. For millennia
Meaning: Thousands of years.
Example: The river has flowed for millennia.
Alternatives: For eons, centuries, ages.
13. For centuries
Meaning: Hundreds of years.
Example: The castle stood for centuries.
Alternatives: Ages, decades, millennia.
14. For decades
Meaning: Tens of years; 20-99 year span.
Example: That tradition lasted for decades.
Alternatives: Years, centuries, ages.
15. Year after year
Meaning: Continuously over many years.
Example: Year after year the tree produces fruit.
Alternatives: Year in year out, annually, ages.
16. Year in, year out
Meaning: Without change over lengthy periods.
Example: He wears the same jacket year in, year out.
Alternatives: Year after year, consistently, ages.
17. Month after month
Meaning: Repetition over many months.
Example: Month after month the bills piled up.
Alternatives: Months on end, ages, forever.
18. Months on end
Meaning: Many consecutive months.
Example: It rained for months on end.
Alternatives: Month after month, ages, yonks.
19. Day after day
Meaning: Daily repetition for a long stretch.
Example: Day after day she practiced piano.
Alternatives: Day in day out, endlessly, ages.
20. Day in, day out
Meaning: Continuous routine over lengthy time.
Example: The machine runs day in, day out.
Alternatives: Day after day, constantly, forever.
21. Hour after hour
Meaning: Many consecutive hours.
Example: Hour after hour he coded without a break.
Alternatives: Hours on end, endlessly, ages.
22. Hours on end
Meaning: Extended period measured in hours.
Example: They talked for hours on end.
Alternatives: Hour after hour, forever, yonks.
23. Forever
Meaning: Endless or seemingly endless duration.
Example: The download took forever.
Alternatives: Ages, eons, yonks.
24. Endlessly
Meaning: Without perceived end.
Example: The road stretched endlessly ahead.
Alternatives: Forever, interminably, on and on.
25. Interminably
Meaning: Tediously long, seemingly never-ending.
Example: The speech dragged interminably.
Alternatives: Endlessly, forever, tediously.
26. On and on
Meaning: Continues without stopping for ages.
Example: The meeting went on and on.
Alternatives: Forever, endlessly, without end.
27. Without end
Meaning: No finish in sight.
Example: The waves rolled in without end.
Alternatives: Endlessly, forever, on and on.
28. Till the cows come home
Meaning: Humorous idiom for a very long, indefinite time.
Example: You can argue till the cows come home.
Alternatives: Forever, yonks, ages.
29. Until kingdom come
Meaning: Until the end of the world; indefinitely long.
Example: The treasure lay hidden until kingdom come.
Alternatives: Forever, till doomsday, eternally.
30. In a coon’s age
Meaning: Same as dog’s age; lengthy period (dated US idiom).
Example: Haven’t tasted pie like this in a coon’s age.
Alternatives: Dog’s age, yonks, donkey’s years.
Exercise to Practice – Long-Time Idioms Quiz
Sources
- Cambridge Dictionary – Cambridge Idioms
- Merriam-Webster – MW Idioms
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries – Oxford Idioms
- IdiomExplorer corpus – IdiomExplorer