reach

verb

\ ˈrēch

reached; reaching; reaches

Definition of reach

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to stretch out : extend

b : thrust

2a : to touch or grasp by extending a part of the body (such as a hand) or an object couldn't reach the apple

b : to pick up and draw toward one : take

c(1) : to extend to the shadow reached the wall

(2) : to get up to or as far as : come to your letter reached me yesterday his voice reached the last rows they hoped to reach an agreement

d(1) : encompass

(2) : to make an impression on

(3) : to communicate with

3 : to hand over : pass

intransitive verb

1a : to make a stretch with or as if with one's hand

b : to strain after something

2a : project, extend his land reaches to the river

b : to arrive at or come to something as far as the eye could reach

3 : to sail on a reach

reach

noun

Definition of reach (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a continuous stretch or expanse especially : a straight portion of a stream or river

2a(1) : the action or an act of reaching

(2) : an individual part of a progression or journey

b(1) : a reachable distance within reach

(2) : ability to reach had a long reach

c : an extent or range especially of knowledge or comprehension

3 : a bearing shaft or coupling pole especially : the rod joining the hind axle to the forward bolster of a wagon

4 : the tack sailed by a ship with the wind coming just forward of the beam or with the wind directly abeam or abaft the beam

5 : echelon, level —usually used in plural the upper reaches of academia

Other Words from reach Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about reach

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Choose the Right Synonym for reach

Verb

reach, gain, and achieve mean to arrive at a point or end by work or effort. reach is used for arriving at something or some place by any amount of effort. They reached the city after many days. gain is used of a struggle to arrive at a goal. The slaves gained their freedom. achieve is used when skill or courage is involved. The artist achieved greatness.

Examples of reach in a Sentence

Verb

She couldn't reach the apple. She was too short. He couldn't reach the apple, even with a stick. She can't reach that far. We reached California after driving for two days. Their land reaches the river. Their land reaches to the river. The phone cord doesn't reach.

Noun

The ball was just out of reach. Their goal is out of reach. The country's farthest reaches had not been explored. the upper reaches of the business the upper reaches of the river

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Klobuchar is struggling to walk, but that doesn’t stop her from reaching for a pair of babies near the entryway, the daughters of staffer Lindsey Kerr. — Julia Felsenthal, Vogue, "Personable, Popular, Pragmatic: Is Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar the Democrat’s Secret Weapon?," 15 Jan. 2019 The rulings were early steps in what is likely to be a long court battle that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court. — Michelle Hackman, WSJ, "Judge Blocks Rules Allowing Employers to Opt Out of Covering Birth Control," 14 Jan. 2019 The result is a HVP shell that reaches Mach 3 and at forty miles has a range three times greater than conventional shells. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Navy Quietly Tested Mach 3 Heavy Gun Shells That Could Revolutionize Surface Warfare," 8 Jan. 2019 If the storm reaches its maximum strength, parts of the country may look like a winter wonderland. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "The First Major Snowstorm of 2019 Will Hit a Large Part of the Country This Weekend," 8 Jan. 2019 Many of us begin new workout routines with the intention of reaching specific goals, which is great, as goals can be very motivating in and of themselves. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "13 Mental Strategies to Help You Stick With Your New Exercise Routine," 4 Jan. 2019 Hailey recently stepped out with a new hairstyle, chopping off those luscious blonde locks and debuting a cut that only barely reaches her chin. — Avery Matera, Teen Vogue, "Hailey Bieber’s Haircut Has Fans Comparing Her to Justin," 14 Dec. 2018 Filming for The Crown Season 3 is well underway, with the Netflix series even reaching the moment that Prince Charles' Investiture Ceremony took place at Caernarfon Castle in Wales, way back in 1969. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Crown Season 3 Recreates Prince Charles' 1969 Investiture Ceremony," 18 Nov. 2018 While the evidence remains largely preliminary, these individual cases have reached a critical mass, which indicates something is happening that needs to be explored in a more rigorous way. — Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, "A New Treatment for Alzheimer's? It Starts With Lifestyle," 16 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Not only does Google's Chrome dominate, but Chrome's engine, Blink, has a reach that extends even further. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "Google Chrome Is Poised to Swallow the Whole Internet," 4 Dec. 2018 While the visceral showdown at the U.S.-Mexico border emphasized Latin American immigration, separation policies and, more broadly, quickly eroding immigration protections have a long reach. — Shamira Ibrahim, Daily Intelligencer, "Patricia Okoumou and the Threat to Black Immigrants," 13 July 2018 The service is via the Sprint network, which has long been considered to have the weakest reach of the big four wireless carriers. — Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY, "Can you survive on a $10 a month cell-phone plan? I tried FreedomPop to find out," 11 July 2018 Others call this a misleading figure, since the US as a superpower has global reach and ambitions well beyond those of its NATO partners. — Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, "NATO: Does old squabble over costs mask US shift away from Europe?," 10 July 2018 The end result is sprawling and often unfocused, with a reach that exceeds its grasp. — Kimber Myers, latimes.com, "In the documentary 'The King,' Eugene Jarecki hits the road to explore byways branching from Elvis Presley to Trump's America," 28 June 2018 The school also promotes its value, specific programs like nursing and hospitality, sustainability and global reach. — Rachel Leingang, azcentral, "Which Arizona university is the best? It depends which rankings you value," 26 June 2018 In many industries local scale is more important than global reach. — The Economist, "Canaries in the coal mine," 14 June 2018 Inevitably, a movie of this stature and global reach will have ramifications of how at-home fatherhood, a growing trend, is perceived. — refinery29.com, "The Incredibles 2 Wants To Turn Stay-At-Home Dads Into Superheroes," 13 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.