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stretch

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of stretch

able to revert to original size and shape after being stretched, squeezed, or twisted

  • stretch fabrics that donʼt wrinkle or sag
Synonyms of stretch

bouncy, elastic, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretchable, stretchy, supple, whippy
Words Related to stretch

adaptable, ductile, kneadable, malleable, moldable, plastic, pliable, pliant

limber, lissome (also lissom), lithe, lithesome, willowy
Near Antonyms of stretch

compact, firm, hard, solid, unyielding

brittle, crisp, crumbly, flaky (also flakey), friable, short
Antonyms of stretch

inelastic, inflexible, nonelastic, rigid, stiff

stretch

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of stretch

1 a wide space or area

  • a narrow stretch of beach below the cliffs
Synonyms of stretch

breadth, distance, expanse, expansion, extent, field, length, plain, reach, sheet, spread, waste
Words Related to stretch

domain, sphere, territory

compass, range, scope, sweep

gamut, scale, spectrum

depth, emptiness, void

extension, latitude, span

amplitude, immensity, magnitude

2 an indefinite but usually short period of time

  • there was a cardinal at our bird feeder for a short stretch last spring
Synonyms of stretch

bit, space, spell, while
Words Related to stretch

lapse

season, span

day, epoch, era

beat, eyeblink, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiff, jiffy, minute, moment, nanosecond, New York minute, second, shake, split second, spurt, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink

aeon (or eon), age, eternity, infinity, perpetuity

interim, interlude, intermission, interval

3 the distance or extent between possible extremes

  • the stories were written over a considerable stretch of time
Synonyms of stretch

diapason, gamut, range, scale, spectrum, spread
Words Related to stretch

measure, pitch, scale

ambit, amplitude, compass, dimension(s), extent, reach, realm, scope, sweep, width

4 the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects

  • the longest stretch of the drive without any place to get gas
Synonyms of stretch

distance, lead, length, remove, spacing, spread, way
Words Related to stretch

altitude, area, breadth, depth, height, rise, space, volume, width

extension, extent

cast, range, reach, scope, shot, sweep, throw

drop, fall, flight, haul

berth, clearance

stretch

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of stretch

1 to add to the interest of by including made-up details

  • it was stretching the truth to say sheʼd been in the movies: she was once an extra whose scene was cut in the final version
Synonyms of stretch

color, elaborate (on), embellish, embroider, exaggerate, hyperbolize, magnify, pad
Words Related to stretch

dress up, gussy up

amplify, enhance, enlarge (on or upon), expand, flesh (out)

fudge, hedge

overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overplay, overstate

emphasize, play up, stress

caricature

satirize
Near Antonyms of stretch

belittle, minimize, play down, understate

2 to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure

  • I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me
Synonyms of stretch

pull, rack, strain, wrench
Words Related to stretch

fray, tax, weaken

damage, harm, hurt, impair, wound

batter, bruise, tear

cripple, lame, mangle, mutilate

3 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
Synonyms of stretch

drag (out), draw out, elongate, extend, lengthen, outstretch, prolong, protract
Words Related to stretch

amplify, enlarge, expand, increase

attenuate, thin
Near Antonyms of stretch

decrease, diminish, lessen, reduce

thicken
Antonyms of stretch

abbreviate, abridge, curtail, cut, cut back, shorten

4 to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress

  • your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
Synonyms of stretch

strain, tax, test, try
Words Related to stretch

demand, exact, importune, press, pressure, push

aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gall, get (to), gnaw (at), grate, harass, harry, hassle, irk, irritate, nettle, pain, peeve, pester, rile, spite, vex

5 to draw tight

  • if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time
Synonyms of stretch

strain, tauten, tense, tighten
Words Related to stretch

elongate, extend, lengthen

cinch, constrict
Near Antonyms of stretch

ease, relax
Antonyms of stretch

loosen, slack, slacken

Learn More about stretch

  1. See words that rhyme with stretch Dictionary: Definition of stretch Medical Dictionary: Definition of stretch Spanish Central: Translation of stretch Nglish: Translation of stretch for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stretch for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stretch

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