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
The Captain of the Port of Pittsburgh put a safety zone into place between the two dams on Monday, barring navigation and transport in the stretch of river, the USACE said in a Facebook post.
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USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Decades of neglecting the muscles in the arch, the stretch of our Achilles, and the flexibility of our toes mean that our feet have a lot of relearning to do.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
The rest drive in every day along the stretch of two-lane blacktop that separates the ranch from U.S. 60.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
D’Angelo Russell also stood out down the stretch, overcoming a rocky first half to end the game with 29 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The Broncos are into the stretch run of their preparations for the NFL draft.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2024
This year’s Panthers are not in that spot but are embracing the chance to figure things out down the stretch of the regular season.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
In fall 2023, the Buena Park City Council voted unanimously to designate the stretch of Beach Boulevard between Orangethorpe and Rosecrans avenues as Koreatown.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Oklahoma City has a tough schedule as well, but should still be extremely competitive even if Gilgeous-Alexander misses time down the stretch of the regular season.
—Nick Crain, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Decades of neglecting the muscles in the arch, the stretch of our Achilles, and the flexibility of our toes mean that our feet have a lot of relearning to do.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
The rest drive in every day along the stretch of two-lane blacktop that separates the ranch from U.S. 60.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
D’Angelo Russell also stood out down the stretch, overcoming a rocky first half to end the game with 29 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024
The Broncos are into the stretch run of their preparations for the NFL draft.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2024
This year’s Panthers are not in that spot but are embracing the chance to figure things out down the stretch of the regular season.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
In fall 2023, the Buena Park City Council voted unanimously to designate the stretch of Beach Boulevard between Orangethorpe and Rosecrans avenues as Koreatown.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Oklahoma City has a tough schedule as well, but should still be extremely competitive even if Gilgeous-Alexander misses time down the stretch of the regular season.
—Nick Crain, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the stretch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the stretch
Cite this Entry
“The stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20stretch. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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