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
Hoover ended up throwing for 376 yards and added two more touchdown passes, but for the second time in Big 12 play, he was outplayed by the opposing quarterback and had multiple game-changing turnovers that doomed the Horned Frogs down the stretch.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2025
Pay attention to the American Conference, which will be full of high stakes and good games down the stretch.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter told Newsweek the beaches at highest risk of disappearing were North Carolina's Outer Banks and the stretch of land from Virginia Beach to Toms River, New Jersey.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The visitors lost their fifth straight game, this one by a score of 3-0 at Allianz Field in St. Paul.
Even a formation change couldn’t stop the losing streak, as Sporting KC has hit rock bottom down the stretch of the 2025 season.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the stretch
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2025
Pay attention to the American Conference, which will be full of high stakes and good games down the stretch.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter told Newsweek the beaches at highest risk of disappearing were North Carolina's Outer Banks and the stretch of land from Virginia Beach to Toms River, New Jersey.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The visitors lost their fifth straight game, this one by a score of 3-0 at Allianz Field in St. Paul.
Even a formation change couldn’t stop the losing streak, as Sporting KC has hit rock bottom down the stretch of the 2025 season.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
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 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share