1
as in to extend
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
the dog had outstretched his legs and was lying across the width of the doorway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lengthen
to make longer
having outstretched our lunch break beyond all reason, we reluctantly headed back to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of outstretch
The component sounds of Spanish words, cut down to two vowels and four consonants, are conveyed by whistling, the trick being to curl your fingers against your mouth with one finger outstretched, as if your hand were a gun.
—
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
And that’s Bell jogging in to score the winning run with both arms outstretched over his head to give the Diamondbacks their only world championship.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2020
As Congress applauded the line, Pelosi stood, outstretched her arms, and clapped slowly and deliberately, as if the clap was more in jest than sincerity.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 23 Dec. 2019
While kicking around a soccer ball, the little princess took a few breaks to balance on one leg with her arms outstretched above her head.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 26 Nov. 2019
See All Example Sentences for outstretch
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
And that’s Bell jogging in to score the winning run with both arms outstretched over his head to give the Diamondbacks their only world championship.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2020
As Congress applauded the line, Pelosi stood, outstretched her arms, and clapped slowly and deliberately, as if the clap was more in jest than sincerity.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 23 Dec. 2019
While kicking around a soccer ball, the little princess took a few breaks to balance on one leg with her arms outstretched above her head.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 26 Nov. 2019
See All Example Sentences for outstretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outstretch
Verb
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Hardware proven beyond Earth That validation already extends into space.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
These shifts extend beyond demographics to governance itself.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The strands just brush her brows in the center and gradually lengthen towards the sides to blend in with the rest of her hair.—
María Munsuri,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) sets rules for how defendants can use classified evidence in court and can lengthen the pretrial process.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Flywing also plans to expand the competitive side of the platform.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The good times were short-lived, and fans headed for the exits as the Cavs stretched the lead to 22 midway through the fourth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
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Some other unconventional methods include steaming the fabric to soften the threads and then stretch, as well as wetting the garment and then pining it down at the correct size, like how crocheters stretch out granny squares.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The same reviewer propped it underneath a doorknob to prevent someone from opening the handle from the outside.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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The store, clad in marble and moodily lit, opens today.—
Hilary Milnes,
Vogue,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hadi of the weather service said those increasing winds could create hazardous marine conditions in South Florida, so swimmers and boaters should stay aware.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has pushed back the start date of the new Clean Heat Standard (CHS) – a regulatory scheme that increases costs for natural gas, propane and oil providers to support state climate goals – back two years to 2028.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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