Definition of outstretchnext
1
as in to extend
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area the dog had outstretched his legs and was lying across the width of the doorway

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2
as in to lengthen
to make longer having outstretched our lunch break beyond all reason, we reluctantly headed back to work

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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 outstretch The component sounds of Spanish words, cut down to two vowels and four consonants, are conveyed by whistling, the trick being to curl your fingers against your mouth with one finger outstretched, as if your hand were a gun. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020 And that’s Bell jogging in to score the winning run with both arms outstretched over his head to give the Diamondbacks their only world championship. Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2020 As Congress applauded the line, Pelosi stood, outstretched her arms, and clapped slowly and deliberately, as if the clap was more in jest than sincerity. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 23 Dec. 2019 While kicking around a soccer ball, the little princess took a few breaks to balance on one leg with her arms outstretched above her head. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 26 Nov. 2019 See All Example Sentences for outstretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outstretch
Verb
  • The bill extends current DHS funding levels for two weeks to allow talks over new accountability requirements for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other enforcement agencies.
    Eric Lau, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Her life of service extended beyond medicine.
    Najahe Sherman, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The best candidates are those whose philtrums are congenitally long or have lengthened with age.
    Jolene Edgar, Allure, 27 Jan. 2026
  • This pair of white straight-leg jeans resembles the model’s denim look with their high-rise waist and leg-lengthening profile.
    Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Jennie headlined Coachella as a solo artist while expanding her fashion ventures.
    Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • In recent years, auction houses have expanded their categories as luxury goods and collectibles have helped buoy their sales.
    Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Lithium, a soft metal necessary for the production of rechargeable batteries, is plentiful in the brine buried in the Smackover Formation, which stretches from east Texas through southern Arkansas and east to the Florida panhandle.
    DIDI TANG, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Mark your calendar On Thursday, Malia scored another exclusive, reporting on LACMA’s announcement that the David Geffen Galleries, the pinnacle of a two-decade campus transformation, will officially open April 19.
    Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The hunt was opened to public, DIY hunting in 2020.
    Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Research shows more adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, with incidence increasing over the last three decades.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2026
  • When applied to the scalp, minoxidil increases blood flow and stimulates your hair follicles to regrow hair.
    Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

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