by any/no stretch of the imagination

idiom

used to emphasize that something is not true, does not happen, etc.
They're not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.
By no stretch of the imagination does the factory operate efficiently.

Examples of by any/no stretch of the imagination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Jacksonville, Florida This isn’t a small or undiscovered city by any stretch of the imagination, but it is often overshadowed by other Florida cities (looking at you, Orlando). Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 July 2024 Delivering meaningful change while trying to stand still is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. Luke McGee, CNN, 6 July 2024 Mousavi, Karroubi, and Khatami are not pro-American by any stretch of the imagination. James Dobbins, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2012 It must be said that Funny Girl is still not a perfect show by any stretch of the imagination. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for by any/no stretch of the imagination 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by any/no stretch of the imagination.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near by any/no stretch of the imagination

by any means necessary

by any/no stretch of the imagination

by appointment

Cite this Entry

“By any/no stretch of the imagination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20any%2Fno%20stretch%20of%20the%20imagination. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!