How to Use by any/no stretch of the imagination in a Sentence

by any/no stretch of the imagination

phrase
  • But that doesn’t mean that the course of illness is easy by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Helena Oliviero, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022
  • This one was not a masterpiece, by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2024
  • The singer's final feature isn't a great film, by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY, 2 July 2022
  • This is somebody who’s not done tightening by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Vildana Hajric, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2023
  • The Penguin isn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, the worst new show of the fall season.
    — Judy Berman, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024
  • It must be said that Funny Girl is still not a perfect show by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024
  • While no slouch by any stretch of the imagination, it was created to be more of a grand tourer than a pure performance beast.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2023
  • This course is not by any stretch of the imagination a course in African American studies.
    — Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2023
  • Delivering meaningful change while trying to stand still is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Luke McGee, CNN, 6 July 2024
  • The crossing is not a quick trip from Florida to the Bahamas by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
  • Objectively, vanilla isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Rachel Krause, Allure, 8 Nov. 2022
  • The bottom line is, at the age of 68, which is not old by any stretch of the imagination, to re-learn how to walk at that stage is kind of difficult.
    — Mike Rodak | [email protected], al, 26 Nov. 2022
  • But by no stretch of the imagination is this Missouri team a completely different roster than last year.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2025
  • But by no stretch of the imagination was that an accountability interview.
    — Etan Smallman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
  • Mousavi, Karroubi, and Khatami are not pro-American by any stretch of the imagination.
    — James Dobbins, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2012
  • Instead, a small cadre of party elites have anointed their preferred selection, hardly democratic by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 23 July 2024
  • Winter and dirt-loving all-wheel drive The GR Corolla is a four-season car by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
  • While none of the candidates inhabit the far-right flank of the GOP, none of them are moderates by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Daniel Martinez Hosang, The New Republic, 9 Dec. 2022
  • The Navy had originally planned to cap the Burke-class destroyers at 61 ships, a successful run by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 21 Mar. 2023
  • With a population of just 18, the former dairy community of Harmony isn’t a town by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025
  • While The Crown shouldn't be considered a historical document by any stretch of the imagination, many of the events portrayed in the series really did happen.
    — Amy MacKelden, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 Nov. 2022
  • Lip wings are all over TikTok, which so often serves as the source of bizarre new beauty trends as well as legitimately genius makeup hacks, but overlining the lips isn't a new technique by any stretch of the imagination.
    — Lottie Winter, Glamour, 13 June 2022
  • Jacksonville, Florida This isn’t a small or undiscovered city by any stretch of the imagination, but it is often overshadowed by other Florida cities (looking at you, Orlando).
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 July 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'by any/no stretch of the imagination.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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