Definition of outstretchnext
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

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2
as in to lengthen
to make longer having outstretched our lunch break beyond all reason, we reluctantly headed back to work

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Example Sentences

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.
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 | [email protected], 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
  • Hossain, who teaches part-time at Smith College, including a course on love and devotion in Bollywood cinema, argues that the pressures her film dramatizes extend well beyond South Asia.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But, as Mosley explained to Fox News Digital, a law passed in North Carolina in 2025 extended the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits specifically for people who have undergone gender transitions.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • These Spanx Micro Flare Pants have a subtle bootcut design for an ultra-flattering, leg-lengthening look.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Telescopes show Venus's crescent lengthening and thinning throughout the month, but observers at mid-northern latitudes will find Venus's image to be blurred by turbulence low in the sky.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The View From Beijing In a departure from business strategies of the past, this current cohort of Chinese companies has a mandate to expand internationally, according to academic Karim Alwadi, based in Beijing.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Opened on New Year’s Day in 1926, the hotel was expanded by famed society architect Maurice Fatio, who managed to maintain intimacy despite imposing a larger footprint.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The move may mark more than another bout of bond-market volatility, with consequences stretching across economies and financial markets.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Its low-profile frame looks clean and modern, while deep seats give you plenty of room to read, watch, or stretch out.
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Crafted from the finest, lightest tweed, the dress—chosen by stylist Ramona Tabita—features a sumptuous knotted structure that opens into a generous back neckline and culminates in a majestic train that skims the red carpet.
    Giacomo Aricò, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The bank announced plans in 2022 to open more than a dozen locations in the coming years to capitalize on Charlotte’s rapid economic and population growth.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • By increasing the carrier density in the neighbouring graphene bilayer, the team progressively weakened the Coulomb interactions between electrons in the magic-angle graphene.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The cores or plugs removed from the lawn during aeration actually increase the success of overseeding by providing more direct contact between the seeds and the soil.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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