stretched 1 of 2

past tense of stretch
1
2
as in pulled
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in lengthened
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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stretched

2 of 2

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 stretched
Verb
Despite this pullback, the stock still trades at a stretched nine times trailing revenue—well above its historical average of three times. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Barely any other media in recent times has given me an instant shock of glee or revulsion like this absurd anarcho-cartoon being stretched and squeezed to its most grotesque and wholesome clickbait limits. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 10 Sep. 2025 Dizon & Truong had to play last weeks’ Japan Open champions Yufei Long & Ting Chieh Wei in the quarters before getting stretched to a third game by two of Australia’s best in Nicola Schoeman and Danni-Elle Townsend in the semis. Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 The evacuation order zone stretched north of Los Coches Road, to south of I-8, to east of Los Coches Road to west of Lake Jennings Park Road and Kumeyaay Highway, according to Genasys Protect mapping. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025 But some have stretched their fame even further, appearing on English (and American) reality series and baking for members of the royal family. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025 The length of his body stretched out across hers, from her shoulders down to her waist, with his tiny paws hanging even further. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Sanne Jacobson, an anesthetist for 13 years at the Oakland Kaiser who has represented the anesthetists in bargaining, said the back-and-forth has has stretched on for a year and a half and that the company’s wages haven’t kept up with the market. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2025 In Turkey, a state of emergency after a coup attempt stretched into years, consolidating power at the top. Aron Solomon september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025 Much of the cast is underdeveloped; an improbable misunderstanding about Mare’s sexuality is somehow stretched into a multi-episode story line. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretched
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
  • They were pulled from the Red Barn, a local landmark dating to the early 1900s in this small community southwest of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement Advertisement Season 3 was the series’ most volatile yet, with every storyline pulled taut to the breaking point.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One of two exit ramp lanes at the Interstate 24 interchange at Exit 81 near South Church Street as the westbound off ramps will be lengthened and widened, according to TDOT.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Over the past 20 years, one single device has unequivocally lengthened the amount of time most people spend sitting.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When the shot rang out, Nathalie tried to reach her daughter, but the melee of panicked runners forced her out a side gate.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The next day, Encarnacion hit a 442-foot homer in his second at-bat of the game, then injured his hamstring in his third at-bat as Encarnacion tried running out an infield single.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, the lending environment has tightened considerably.
    Andrew DeNardo, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • To this end, Newell envisioned staging faithful performances of screenplays, tightened and adapted with pop culture and history salted in as needed.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2000, Thomson was bought by the German company Preussag, with the enlarged business — which was listed in London and Frankfurt — rechristened TUI two years later.
    Ian King, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • But roughly 20-30% of people who are infected develop severe symptoms, including a range of heart issues—such as heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or even death—and digestive issues—such as an enlarged esophagus or colon, which could cause problems with eating or going to the bathroom.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The lack of any real surprises or subversions along the way can be a drag, making the Prime Video miniseries feel a bit padded even at a relatively trim six hour-long episodes.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The hosts padded their lead in the fourth.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Kraft had an 8-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that extended Green Bay’s lead to 24-10.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The 9-inch monochrome CRT was retained, but the floppy drive no longer had a door, and the keyboard was extended with several special keys.
    Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretched. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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