1
as in expanses
a wide space or area
a narrow stretch of beach below the cliffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in whiles
an indefinite but usually short period of time
there was a cardinal at our bird feeder for a short stretch last spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in distances
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 & Similar Words
1
as in exaggerates
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in lengthens
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
as in tries
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stretches
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2026
Denver metro test drive loop My drives with the Prius covered much of the South Denver metro area, including stretches of C-470 and E-470, where steady highway cruising allowed the hybrid system to show off its efficiency.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
San Diego wants to control the game with the ball and make opponents defend for long stretches.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
There have been stretches of good golf, and Finau is hopeful of a few more days of this.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Santa Monica Boulevard proved to the be the most accessible path so far, although the group still encountered some difficult stretches.
—Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Work will continue along the Blue Line throughout April, with bus bridges in place across several stretches.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The influx of visitors to coastal stretches of central Florida, while challenging for traffic, is a major boost for the local economy.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Visit stretches of sand like Cape Drastis to view the island's dramatic cliffs that disappear into turquoise waters; head to Rovinia Beach for its secluded charm and white pebble shores; and stop at Porto Timoni for a truly breathtaking view.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Built in 1949, this structure stretches more than a third of a mile over the Missouri River.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Harris led a first round of voting on March 10 with 37% in the district that stretches across 10 counties from suburban Atlanta to Tennessee.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The nearly 600-mile-wide basin, which stretches across the moon’s near and far sides, still has distinct geological features from the ancient collision, according to NASA.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The departure comes just over a year after Sides was elected to the board in 2024, but his time in public office in Union County stretches back much further.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Another is expected to take shape in Councilmember Rick Jennings’ district, which stretches from Land Park to the Pocket.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Bay Harbor consists of two islands hugging the Broad Causeway, which stretches just west of Bal Harbour to North Miami.
—Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Federal officials shared the findings of their investigation as the war with Iran stretches over a month.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
Adding defensive end Rashan Gary will help bolster a pass rush that was dormant for stretches at a time last season, and bringing in safety Jalen Thompson will give some reliability on the back end that Dallas desperately needed after giving up the most passing yards of any team in the NFL in 2025.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2026
Denver metro test drive loop My drives with the Prius covered much of the South Denver metro area, including stretches of C-470 and E-470, where steady highway cruising allowed the hybrid system to show off its efficiency.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
San Diego wants to control the game with the ball and make opponents defend for long stretches.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
There have been stretches of good golf, and Finau is hopeful of a few more days of this.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Santa Monica Boulevard proved to the be the most accessible path so far, although the group still encountered some difficult stretches.
—Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Work will continue along the Blue Line throughout April, with bus bridges in place across several stretches.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The influx of visitors to coastal stretches of central Florida, while challenging for traffic, is a major boost for the local economy.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026
Visit stretches of sand like Cape Drastis to view the island's dramatic cliffs that disappear into turquoise waters; head to Rovinia Beach for its secluded charm and white pebble shores; and stop at Porto Timoni for a truly breathtaking view.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
The byway stretches over 49 miles from Idaho Springs to Bergen Park and is the highest paved road in North America, offering panoramic views of the Continental Divide.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Built in 1949, this structure stretches more than a third of a mile over the Missouri River.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Harris led a first round of voting on March 10 with 37% in the district that stretches across 10 counties from suburban Atlanta to Tennessee.
—Jeff Amy, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The nearly 600-mile-wide basin, which stretches across the moon’s near and far sides, still has distinct geological features from the ancient collision, according to NASA.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The departure comes just over a year after Sides was elected to the board in 2024, but his time in public office in Union County stretches back much further.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Another is expected to take shape in Councilmember Rick Jennings’ district, which stretches from Land Park to the Pocket.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Bay Harbor consists of two islands hugging the Broad Causeway, which stretches just west of Bal Harbour to North Miami.
—Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Federal officials shared the findings of their investigation as the war with Iran stretches over a month.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretches
Noun
-
That's why there's no greater joy in journalism than driving through the great expanses of the West.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The world’s continents are fringed by vast expanses of sand and mud.—
David George Haskell,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
UCHealth’s decision to postpone surgeries whiles staff addressed the sterilization problem stands out from other hospitals that have found themselves in similar situations.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This process produced an elastomer that could maintain performance across extreme temperature ranges and low-pressure environments.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Military police are often the only armed personnel on base, outside of shooting ranges, hunting areas or in training, where soldiers can wield their service weapons without ammunition.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The portable help pendant elicited an immediate response from every room in my single-story three-bedroom ranch and worked perfectly at distances of 100 too 400 feet while outside of my home.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
While Apollo astronauts also circled the moon at even closer distances and spied some of the mysterious far side, the circumstances of the Artemis II flyby differ in a few ways.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The same prime minister who exaggerates his power is also fine with being portrayed as the patsy of more influential actors.—
Aluf Benn,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Tainy’s Prometheus — is portrayed by Feid, dressed in an oversized leather coat and lit in a manner that exaggerates his grills in an eerie way.—
Juan J. Arroyo,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But then Vivian abruptly disappears without a trace, sending Taylor on a search for answers that pulls her into the Knox itself—as their new employee.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But earlier versions required long and forceful trigger pulls and had never caught on.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The slim toe lengthens the leg, while the open heel keeps the outfit from looking heavy.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Not to mention climate change, which lengthens growing seasons and increases pollen production.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Iranian opposition tries to organize overseas The situation has led to new attempts to organize the highly fragmented Iranian opposition abroad.—
Amir Hussein Radjy,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Engelbeck estimates that someone tries to break into his shop in Washington state once a quarter.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stretches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretches. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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