STRETCHES Synonyms: 207 Similar and Opposite Words

stretches 1 of 2

noun

plural of stretch

as in expanses

a wide space or area a narrow stretch of beach below the cliffs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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as in ranges

the distance or extent between possible extremes the stories were written over a considerable stretch of time

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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

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stretches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of stretch

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pulls

to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me

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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

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as in tries

to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress your whining is stretching my patience to the limit

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as in tightens

to draw tight if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time

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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 stretches

Noun

To counteract this, daily calf stretches are recommended to decrease strain and tension along the musculotendinous junction of the Achilles tendon. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 Thousands of service members have been aboard the USS Lincoln for one of the longest stretches ever for a modern aircraft carrier. — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Over time, this can result in long stretches of bare stems closer to the pot as the plant concentrates on developing new growth on the tips of the vines. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026 Some clients go quiet, campaigns pause and calendars fill with vacations, creating stretches when the usual pace gives way to something less predictable. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 West Virginia mostly avoided sustained losing stretches until 2019. — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Although comprehensive records for continuous stretches of days with high temperatures are not kept, this summer is not the hottest. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 The unit might finally be complemented by a gorgeous offense, one capable of starting fast and leading for long stretches. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2026 Set directly on one of the area’s most beautiful stretches of sand, the property has a lively beach club, expansive spa, multiple restaurants, and abundant activities for both couples and families. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026

Verb

Cheeca Lodge & Spa Cheeca Lodge’s history stretches back to the late 1800s, but the property became a resort in 1946 when Clara May Downey purchased it and renamed it the Olney Inn. — Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 The fire in the High Fens, which stretches across the border with Germany, is smoldering atop a much-bloodied battlefield where Nazis fought Allied troops. — Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 After the meeting, Welsch argued the city should be allowing more time for the public to evaluate and scrutinize a voluminous plan that stretches beyond 500 pages. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 The 2nd District stretches from the suburbs of Woodbury to Cottage Grove and Burnsville. — Esme Murphy, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 The congressman’s hour-and-a-half drive to Sedalia illustrated the distance of the sweeping 5th Congressional District, which stretches east from Troost Avenue to rural mid-Missouri. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026 Azerbaijan exports its oil through multinational pipelines, such as the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which stretches over 1,000 miles through the country of Georgia and on into Turkey. — Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The newly redrawn 4th Congressional District stretches from the Napa Valley through Yolo County and into the Sacramento Valley, encompassing parts of nine counties. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Basins and streams become elongated at larger scales, so that river networks have an inherent directionality that stretches toward the sea. — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretches

Noun

The umbral shadow will first appear as a small semicircle of shadow close to the dark expanses of Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms) and Mare Humorum on the moon's southwestern edge, before swiftly spreading to swallow the nearby moonscape.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Security Meets Style Expect larger expanses of glass, slimmer frames, and design that blurs the line between indoors and out.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of expanses

Noun

Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist and brand president of the Philip Kingsley Clinics and product ranges, has clients who stay awake long into the night, comparing photos before and after shedding events.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026
The steepness of the yield curve is likewise not extreme relative to historical ranges.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of ranges

Noun

The approach, developed by a team led by researchers from York University in Toronto, could improve how humanoid robots judge distances, recognize object orientation, and navigate complex environments.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience.

— Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of distances

Verb

Armour points to two recent plays, one involving Chelsea Gray and another involving Kiah Stokes, as proof that Clark exaggerates contact and creates false narratives about opposing players.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
The best place to start is a sporting culture that exaggerates accomplishments and rewards capitalistic success before the sporting variety.

— Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of exaggerates

Verb

There’s a fun bit when Green pulls her badge to walk Reacher out through the police cordon, pretending to have placed him under arrest, but the ruse doesn’t last long.

— Chris Klimek, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
The curvy wood frame and oversized door pulls give the Scandi-centric piece a bit of retro appeal without feeling dated.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of pulls

Verb

The sideways lean becomes a forward one, the gap between his legs increases, and his feet begin landing beneath or slightly behind his centre of mass as his stride lengthens.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Tucking your chin gently toward the floor while lying down lengthens the back of the neck.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

Definition of lengthens

Verb

The family tries to turn their surroundings into learning opportunities as well.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026
There’s been a big emphasis on pressing as a unit and moving the ball quickly as Iraola tries to install the kind of bold, attacking football which put him at the front of the queue when Liverpool looked for Slot’s successor.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026