stretch 1 of 5

stretch

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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

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adjective (1)

stretch (out)

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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
Additionally, nurses can also buy a dozen donuts and get six donuts free in that stretch. Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 6 May 2025 For a long stretch of Monday’s matchup between the two teams, the script looked familiar. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Verb
The apprehensions reported in February, March and April are the lowest tallies recorded by the Border Patrol in its public monthly dataset, which stretches back to fiscal year 2000. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 May 2025 The sculpture based on a zither—an instrument with strings stretched across a flat box—is a slanted trapezoid with strings running down its back. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2025
Adjective
But farther up Doheny, a black sea of stretch limos and town cars flowed in and out of another, bigger, more raucous post-Oscar blowout still in full swing. Scott Huver, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025 Additionally, Korkmaz said stretch fabrics are making a strong comeback, reminiscent of the early 2000s, but reimagined with current technology. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
  • New York’s expansive use of eminent domain needed and still needs reining in, not expansion.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 May 2025
  • The explosions in Amritsar - the first heard there in the three-day-old conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors - could mark a further expansion in the hostilities that have alarmed world powers.
    USA Today, USA Today, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • Sagittarius Shuhua Xiong Full Moon in Scorpio on May 12: Clear space for spiritual honesty.
    Colin Bedell, Them., 8 May 2025
  • The structure has nearly 3,000 feet of balcony space, from which the 6,271 people lucky enough to score an invite to one of this year’s 36 suites can get an unobstructed view of the start and finish lines.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • But that can really coexist on both sides of the political spectrum.
    Sean Illing, Vox, 12 May 2025
  • Fans have interpreted Murderbot as asexual, gender-fluid and on the autism spectrum.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • The tough colt had nothing — not the distance, not the mud, no challenger — bothering him.
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Each course is served at a different location, ideally one within walking distance or a short drive away (or even within a single apartment building).
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • In February, the president ordered the federal government to dramatically scale back the functions of the Presidio Trust, which was established by Representative Nancy Pelosi and oversees a popular expanse with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
    Heather Knight, New York Times, 6 May 2025
  • On Florida’s Forgotten Coast, life moves slower and long expanses remain unmarred by development.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • After trading zeroes for a while, Boston scored five runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 3 May 2025
  • After the horse settled in, and stood for a while, Jordan finally backed him out.
    Dana O'Neil, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • Mosaic products are easily accessible and offered in a wide range of retail and hobby formats.
    Tyler Holzhammer, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • Trump has disrupted decades of American trade policies, including with key security allies like Japan, by imposing big import taxes on a wide range of products.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • The 2025 Lincoln Navigator flagship gets dramatic new looks and features, including dramatic exterior lights, a new body and a high-def 48-inch instrument display stretching nearly the width of the big SUV’s dashboard.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 8 May 2025
  • Diana Ross brought the 2025 Met Gala red carpet to a halt on Monday night (May 5), wearing an epic jacket with a seemingly endless train that spread almost the entire width of the iconic steps leading into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
    Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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