the stretch
noun
: the final straight part of a racecourse before the finish line
the horses are in the (final) stretch
—often used figurativelyShe'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
Ortiz navigated past 17 other horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch.
—
Stephen Whyno, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
His trip required extra ground with a wider path outside as the field turned for home, but Ortiz somehow got him near the middle entering the stretch.
—Gary B. Graves, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
But the Wildcats are set to return leading scorer Tyler Perkins and wing Matt Hodge, whose ACL injury tempered expectations down the stretch of the season.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Cherie DeVaux made history on Saturday as the first woman to train the winner of the Kentucky Derby, as Golden Tempo charged from the back of the pack and charged down the stretch to get to the finish line first in the biggest event in horse racing.
—CBS News, 2 May 2026
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Stephen Whyno, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
His trip required extra ground with a wider path outside as the field turned for home, but Ortiz somehow got him near the middle entering the stretch.
—Gary B. Graves, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
But the Wildcats are set to return leading scorer Tyler Perkins and wing Matt Hodge, whose ACL injury tempered expectations down the stretch of the season.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026
Cherie DeVaux made history on Saturday as the first woman to train the winner of the Kentucky Derby, as Golden Tempo charged from the back of the pack and charged down the stretch to get to the finish line first in the biggest event in horse racing.
—CBS News, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the stretch
Cite this Entry
“The stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20stretch. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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