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
His Bulldogs have made it to the Field of 68 just once in three seasons, tallying an overall record of 56-46 during the stretch.
—
Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
On a possession down the stretch, Zach LaVine hit a wide-open 3-pointer because the Sixers were trapping the pick-and-roll and didn’t communicate on the switch.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Their efforts led to the passage of House Bill 2457, which added concrete median barriers to the roadway and named the stretch in Molly's honor.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Iribarne came through down the stretch as Beckman came back from a 14-point deficit with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
—Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the stretch
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Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
On a possession down the stretch, Zach LaVine hit a wide-open 3-pointer because the Sixers were trapping the pick-and-roll and didn’t communicate on the switch.
—Tony Jones, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Their efforts led to the passage of House Bill 2457, which added concrete median barriers to the roadway and named the stretch in Molly's honor.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Iribarne came through down the stretch as Beckman came back from a 14-point deficit with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
—Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 27 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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