This is the 2951st most frequent Russian word.
годами
"For years."
In this sentence, "годами" is used to specify a duration, meaning 'for years.' It emphasizes the prolonged time spent on the activity.
Он трудился над этим проектом годами.
He worked on this project for years.
Here, "годами" again means 'for years,' highlighting the extended effort or time spent on saving money.
Годами копив деньги, они наконец-то купили дом.
After saving money for years, they finally bought a house.
In this context, "годами" indicates a long absence lasting years, showing a significant gap of time.