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

Counsell also gave updates on several pitchers who are on the mend and could impact the team down the stretch. — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

But the equation could change drastically based on Ohtani’s status down the stretch. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Yet the Marlins shut down the KC offense down the stretch while getting a pair of insurance runs — by way of solo homers from Javier Sanoja and Jakob Marsee in the ninth. — Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

The fatal crash has renewed calls for safety improvements along the stretch of Third Avenue that has seen multiple deadly crashes over the years. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the stretch

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