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
But the Wildcats were outscored 12-6 down the stretch, with all but two of the Crimson Tide's points being scored by Holloway and Philon.
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Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Cade Cunningham scored 27 points, Daniss Jenkins added 25 — 21 in the second quarter alone — and the Detroit Pistons held on down the stretch for a rare road win at Cleveland, beating the Cavaliers 114-110 on Sunday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Without Green down the stretch, the Warriors still managed to win all three contests.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
To their credit, the Horns went back to work, finished 6-1 down the stretch and took advantage of 15 bowl practices while the head coach went about the business of setting things up for 2026.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the stretch
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Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Cade Cunningham scored 27 points, Daniss Jenkins added 25 — 21 in the second quarter alone — and the Detroit Pistons held on down the stretch for a rare road win at Cleveland, beating the Cavaliers 114-110 on Sunday.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Without Green down the stretch, the Warriors still managed to win all three contests.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
To their credit, the Horns went back to work, finished 6-1 down the stretch and took advantage of 15 bowl practices while the head coach went about the business of setting things up for 2026.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 2026.
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