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

Every star reaches an end point in its life and goes out in a violent cataclysm. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Think They've Found a Dead Planetary Core Orbiting a Dead Star," 4 Apr. 2019 New York reached the deal with deGrom following an agreement between Chris Sale and Boston announced Saturday that adds $145 million from 2020-24 and raised the total for the left-hander to $160 million over six years. — Ronald Blum, The Seattle Times, "Mets, deGrom agree to $137.5 million, 5-year deal," 27 Mar. 2019 Today, the brand launched APlus by Anthropologie, which features extended sizing from 16W-26W. Previously, the retailer only reached women sizes 00P–14P and 00–16. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "Anthropologie Launches Its First Plus-Size Line, APlus by Anthropologie," 15 Mar. 2019 But on December 4, Epstein reached a last-minute settlement in that suit just before jury selection was to begin, according to the Associated Press. — Jane Coaston, Vox, "Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who is friends with Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, explained," 22 Feb. 2019 Season one of The Masked Singer hasn't even reached its finale, so the release date for the second season is still TBA. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "'The Masked Singer' Season 2: Everything We Know So Far," 9 Feb. 2019 Revenue is expected to reach $659 million in 2020, up from $314 million in 2017, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers US. — Ashley Carman, The Verge, "NPR wants to know what podcast ads you skip," 27 Dec. 2018 Noto can be reached via a combination of train or air, but it's best seen vby rental car and local roads. — Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, "28 Places Our Travel Specialists Say You Should Go in 2019," 17 Dec. 2018 Facebook may have reached more people — 126 million people compared to Instagram’s estimated 20 million — but advertisers will tell you that engagement matters a lot. — Kurt Wagner, Recode, "Instagram posts from Russian meddlers played a much bigger role in the 2016 election than we thought," 17 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In South Korea, Samsung's reach extends much further than in the U.S., and the company even covers insurance through Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Samsung's 'Firevase' Is a Smashing Fire Extinguisher," 28 Mar. 2019 With its doubled-sided design, no spot is out of reach–not even those annoying, hard-to-reach corners where the tub meets the wall. — Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping, "This $7 Heavy Duty Grout Brush Will Send the Mildew in Your Bathroom Packing," 1 Mar. 2019 Previously, Microsoft appeared poised to widen the reach of its gaming ecosystem, connecting games on iOS, Android, and even the Nintendo Switch to its Xbox Live multiplayer platform. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft ports Xbox Live to Android, iOS to extend the reach of Xbox," 14 Mar. 2019 The independent senator raised more than $10 million online in his first week and advisers have aimed to broaden the reach of his campaign after he was defeated by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. — Ken Thomas, WSJ, "Creative Firm Quits Bernie Sanders Campaign," 26 Feb. 2019 Diamond and Silk last year began to say Facebook and other tech platforms, such as YouTube, were limiting the reach of their posts. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Diamond and Silk, Fox & Friends’ favorite black Trump supporters, explained," 5 Feb. 2019 With two helicopters, a submersible, and custom features built to navigate the farthest reaches of the planet, the vessel is well equipped for adventure. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "The Best Places to Travel in 2019," 7 Dec. 2018 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Price: $1,795,000 As any fan of architecture can tell you, the reach of Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic style is long. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Stunning midcentury home by a Wright apprentice asks $1.8M," 18 Oct. 2018 But special circumstances — such as coronal holes and giant explosions of solar plasma called coronal mass ejections — can extend the intensity and the reach of these dazzling light displays. — Mike Wall, Space.com, "Hole in Sun's Atmosphere Amps Up Northern Lights," 11 Sep. 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.