stretch 1 of 5

stretch

2 of 5

verb (1)

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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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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stretch

3 of 5

adjective (1)

stretch (out)

4 of 5

verb (2)

as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area you can't stretch out your legs to the point where you're blocking the aisle

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stretchy

5 of 5

adjective (2)

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
Cardoso’s paintings are littered with artifacts to L.A.’s past and present: Mission Road, King Taco, LAX, wide stretches of the 101. Jason Parham, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will rightly be the major talking point from the blowout, capping a sublime three-game stretch in this series with a brilliant closeout performance. Shane Young, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Verb
The Longhorns tacked on three more runs in the inning to stretch the advantage to 9-0. Kavan (23-4) went the distance, giving up six hits in seven innings with a walk and 5 strikeouts. Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025 Her late explosion was too much to come back from as the lead stretched to double digits again. Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
Adjective
The reality is, high performers thrive on stretch goals. Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Each yoga pose, stretch, or walk to the laundry room will get her even further toward her fitness goals. Brie Schwartz, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
  • The legislation would implement work requirements for adults enrolled in Medicaid expansion and increase the frequency of eligibility checks to ensure people still qualify for the program.
    Riley Beggin, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • But Italian beef, the quintessential Chicago sandwich, remains at the top of the Buona menu — and its expansion plans.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Even small spaces can support amphibians and serve as important corridors that connect to larger green spaces, says Hua.
    Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025
  • As incredibly fast as that is, space is incredibly spread out.
    Jarred Roberts, The Conversation, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • At the opposite spectrum of the sombre tone and palette of Ritual of the Ancestors and Rites of Passage are a pair of sensual canvases titled Adoration of the Earth which depict a naked woman languishing in a field of dancing sunflowers.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • Consumers should use a sunscreen labelled SPF 30 or higher with broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 May 2025
  • Our aim was to collapse the distance between the audience and the story.
    Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The debris flow had barreled more than a mile down the mountain, leaving an expanse of mud and rocks.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
  • Given its expanse into a head-to-toe resort wear outfitter that even trades in unstructured jackets and knitted trainers, how does the label continue to grow without losing sight of its original purpose?
    Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Took him a while to put some guys away at different times.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • An investigation into the couple’s deaths began in September 2023 when their doctor raised concerns about John and Lois’ welfare after not seeing them for a while, Essex police wrote in a news release.
    Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Specifically, researchers discovered a link between a heart failure diagnosis and having problems with a broad range of mental processes, such as memory, paying attention, and planning.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 16 May 2025
  • Today, these models are constantly changing, from text-centric tools to multimodal solutions that can work with a much wider range of file data, including images, videos, sound and more.
    Nick Burling, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Our testers looked at the thickness and width of the band, padding, underwiring, and how well the bra was able to stay up throughout the day without slipping.
    Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 22 May 2025
  • But the width of those bands also makes a difference in eliminating interference and increasing speeds.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

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