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

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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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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

Banner Elk is ideally located near some of the most stunning stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway. — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026 Expect large, sunny stretches of clothing-optional beaches drawing swimmers and sun-bathers alike. — Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026 For one quieter alternative, head south of Steamboat Springs to the Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway, where gravel roads, mountain passes and long stretches of aspens make the drive itself part of the attraction. — Joe Ruch, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Long, flat stretches of the trail covered by that glacial flour were no problem. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Daybreaker’s menu stretches beyond the breakfast sandwich that started it all. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026 For entire stretches of matches, Berger functions as a sweeper when Purce and Guro Reiten lead forays into the opponent’s penalty box. — Karan Lodha, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 But even for people who are used to heat, long stretches of it can be particularly dangerous. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026 Irresistible lure In a swirling age of coast-to-coast railroad mergers, the freight tracks that run through Barrington are suddenly one of the hottest stretches of track in North America. — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Verb

Look for the version that stretches your world without requiring you to abandon everything familiar. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026 In March, Saudi Arabia, because of the shipping restrictions in the Persian Gulf, began transporting its crude oil through a pipeline that stretches from the kingdom’s Eastern Province to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, on its western coast. — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 Part of that is due to the former's RTX xx70 tier being unable to compete with the latter's RTX xx90 tier—a gulf that stretches across GPU generations. — Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 19 Sep. 2026 Why Wembley means something different to Connington Connington’s connection to Saturday stretches across continents. — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026 Pockmarked since ancient times, the moon bears some of the solar system’s largest impact craters, including one that stretches more than 1,500 miles across. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The Chain of Lakes stretches across McHenry and Lake counties — meaning multiple agencies have jurisdiction on the water. — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Although the first topological ideas only emerged in the 18th century, the history of the Platonic solids stretches back much further. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026 Scheufele sees such moments as an opportunity that stretches beyond introducing product. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretches

Noun

Listed by Wetzel and fellow Realtor Ingrid Williams for $899,000, curious travelers have been driving past the eye-catching estate for decades, admiring its unique and surprising presence among the expanses of nearby farmland.

— Richard Lane, Des Moines Register, 21 Sep. 2026
Towering cathedrals of ice define the shore, in contrast to the vast, untouched, eerily silent expanses that stretch inland.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of expanses

Noun

Now, as Luminate points out, the broadcasters have more limited budget ranges and programming slots, as well as more straightforward viewership data.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026
Claims about ranges, payloads, or specific combat missions therefore remain estimates rather than demonstrated capabilities.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of ranges

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

Outdated Fixtures and Hardware Be on the lookout for now out-of-style fixtures such as brass-and-crystal light fixtures, old-fashioned (circa 1980) doorknobs and bath faucets, or cabinet pulls that belong in grandma’s kitchen, according to Ryan.

— Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 21 Sep. 2026
Oil prices are down for the fourth consecutive session as the market pulls back from the recent rally.

— Spencer Kimball,Justina Lee, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026