STRETCHES Synonyms: 207 Similar and Opposite Words

stretches 1 of 2

noun

Definition of stretches next

plural of stretch

as in expanses

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

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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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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

After half an hour of mat stretches, Mira and two other students climbed onto Swedish ladders, hung with their backs to the wall, and did a set of leg lifts, tapping their feet against their heads. —

Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 But groves obliterated vast stretches of pristine land. —

Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026 Disease outbreaks involving gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses happen periodically on cruise ships, which are full of people in close quarters for long stretches of time. —

Susan Montoya Bryan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026 As conditions have gotten hotter, the buildup of dense vegetation has fed extreme fires that have torn through vast stretches of land and, increasingly, into communities. —

Lauren Sommer, NPR, 4 May 2026 Star, which straddles Ada and Canyon counties in the northern stretches of the Treasure Valley, has stood out in recent years for its explosive growth. —

Rose Evans may 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 May 2026 Dallas famously had one of the coldest cold stretches at 5-on-5 in recent NHL history, and relied almost entirely on the power play to stay afloat in the series. —

Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 2 May 2026 Regular movement, including aisle walks and seated stretches, is essential for circulation and preventing stiffness. —

Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026 Top defenseman Jackson LaCombe – more on him in a moment – said that the Ducks’ topsy-turvy 2025-26, which included two seven-game winning streaks but two ice-cold stretches as well, taught them how to adapt. —

Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026

Verb

Noriega, the analyst, said that the amount companies are paying to cross the Panama Canal may continue to go up if the conflict stretches on, as oil prices are already skyrocketing. —

Alma Solís, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Announced Tuesday, the official feature competition includes 11 films, with France again playing an outsized role — six of the titles are French productions or co-productions — even as the selection stretches across Asia and the Americas. —

Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026 The district now stretches from Ocoee, Horizon West and Orlando’s Doctor Phillips neighborhood to much of Lake County and The Villages. —

Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 The highest threat stretches from the southern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley and Mid-South, where multiple rounds of storms are expected through Tuesday evening and into the overnight hours. —

Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 Its operating temperature range stretches from –40 °C to 70 °C (–40 °F to 158 °F). —

Omar Kardoudi april 28, New Atlas, 28 Apr. 2026 If your budget stretches to it, the 6,700-square-foot Royal Suite sprawls across the entire top floor of the building closest to the sea, with endless ocean views and multiple terraces featuring an outdoor pool and a jacuzzi. —

Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026 Severe weather continues into Monday On Monday, the severe weather threat spreads northeast and stretches from the lower Mississippi River Valley up to the Midwest. —

Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026 In this undated photo provided by the Sumatran Orangutan Society/TaHuKah, a Sumatran orangutan crosses a canopy bridge that stretches over a road in Pakpak Bharat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. —

CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretches

Noun

In these plans, recalled Douglas Vakoch, president of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) International in San Francisco, huge diagrams would be etched on large expanses of land here on Earth.

— Leonard David, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Large expanses of glass keep the outdoors in constant view, so the house shifts with the light throughout the day.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026