stretch 1 of 3

stretch

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verb

1
as in to exaggerate
to add to the interest of by including made-up details it was stretching the truth to say she'd been in the movies: she was once an extra whose scene was cut in the final version

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to pull
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me

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3
as in to lengthen
to make longer the time it would take to fix the car got stretched from three hours to two days when the part we needed had to be ordered

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4
5
as in to tighten
to draw tight if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stretch

3 of 3

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stretch
Noun
Securing home-field advantage for that first playoff round remains a goal, but otherwise this stretch run lacks much suspense. Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025 The effort began in 1991, when the city council solicited public input on how to redevelop a stretch of land along the waterfront. Beth Lew-Williams, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
Smith stretched as far as his body would allow, inadvertently hitting the splits in the process. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025 That two-block development that stretches north to MacArthur Boulevard will feature up to 3,750 residential units, a 250-room hotel, a 200-unit tower for senior living and up to 350,000 square feet of restaurants and shops, as well as a grocery store and 13 acres of park space. Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Dunaway should get stretch powers, because Hollywood is cruel about women aging and Mr. Fantastic’s power can be used like Botox (see also: Elasti-Woman on Doom Patrol). Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 July 2025 According to our expert, washing denim too often breaks down the fibers more quickly and that is especially true if the jeans have any stretch fibers in them, which many of them do. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
  • Biglari’s core demands were to stop opening new stores entirely, eliminate the development team to save money, and focus exclusively on improving existing store operations rather than expansion.
    Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The expansion team has lost each of its last five games against the Lynx, and most recently suffered one of their worst losses of the season in Game 1 on Sunday in a 29-point defeat.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • More than 100 Jilin remote sensing satellites have been launched, designed to acquire information from space via remote instruments.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • While central bank policy will have an important impact on the crypto markets, innovation in the space will be the driving force behind changes in asset prices, claimed Colkitt.
    Charles Lloyd Bovaird II, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Kirk’s death brought a tremendous response across the political spectrum.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Musk’s stint in the White House, subsequent split from the president, and continued embrace of right-wing causes has alienated consumers across the political spectrum, polls have repeatedly found.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Such a short distance is considered well within reach of a basic marksman.
    Will Carless, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Jordan Morgan started at left guard and went the distance, while Anthony Belton and Darian Kennard alternated at right tackle.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In early 2025, the stock fell nearly 57% from February to April in the wake of a short-seller report that alleged the company had exaggerated its e-commerce performance and breached service terms.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This performative solidarity was not appreciated by Saudi commentators who argued Egypt exaggerated the seriousness of Netanyahu's comments in a bid to drag Saudi Arabia in a confrontation with the Israelis for political reasons.
    Khaled Hassan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What lingers are the fragments that weren’t rehearsed, a voice breaking, a note pulled from the back of a notebook, a chant that filled the room, a line spoken more to a spouse than to the cameras.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Bolt-action rifles, prized for reliability, require the operator to pull the trigger for one round before manually chambering another round.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Like any tubing mascara, Badi Lash wraps lashes in flexible, smudge-proof polymers that darken and lengthen them.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Earlier this year, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund proposed switching to semiannual reporting, reasoning that lengthening the time frame would allow companies to focus on the longer term.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Within seconds of inhaling the foul odor, the white dog springs back in disgust and hastily shuffles to the other side of the bed, as though trying to escape the smell altogether.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Those struggles compounded during an alarming first half last season, spurring former coach Peter Laviolette to try something new.
    Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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