the stretch

noun

: the final straight part of a racecourse before the finish line

the horses are in the (final) stretch

—often used figuratively

She's in the final stretch. The baby's due next month.

They will wind up the season with a winning record having won some crucial games down the stretch.

Examples of the stretch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Castleton showed a little bit of everything down the stretch, especially on the offensive glass. 2025 draft picks: ninth, 39th Draft need: Mogbo might be a better fit as a power forward, Chomche is a multi-year project, and Jakob Poeltl has a player option in 2026. —Law Murray, New York Times, 22 June 2025

And without her defensive presence, the Mercury converted on timely buckets down the stretch to secure the victory. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025

Connecticut continued to lean on its defense down the stretch, forcing another pair of turnovers against the Wings in the first four minutes of the final quarter. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025

Burns will be disappointed with his play to finish the tournament, but some bad luck also went against him down the stretch. —Troy Finnegan‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025

Rhymes for the stretch

• etch
• fetch
• fletch
• ketch
• sketch
• vetch
• wretch