1
as in expansion
a wide space or area
a narrow stretch of beach below the cliffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in space
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 distance
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 to exaggerate
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 to lengthen
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 to try
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in flexible
able to revert to original size and shape after being stretched, squeezed, or twisted
stretch fabrics that don't wrinkle or sag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
you can't stretch out your legs to the point where you're blocking the aisle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stretch
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Kidman’s career stretches over four decades, earning her an Academy Award and acclaim across film and television, most recently in Nine Perfect Strangers and Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
As detention stretches on, Kordia said it’s been difficult to follow developments in the war, let alone maintain contact with relatives caught in the conflict.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The collection includes the straight-leg Teddy in rigid and stretch fabrics; the ’90s inspired Gus with a relaxed and slouchy fit; the Jackson, a barrel-leg jean with a V-waist; the Kyle, a stretch flare; and the Leo, a straight-meets-barrel silhouette with a high rise.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stretch
Noun
The 2026 Subaru Forester Wilderness raises the popular compact SUV’s off-road credentials, slotting in with the Ford Bronco Sport as the most capable in a popular class of vehicles most of whose range of terrain stretches just past the edge of the driveway and onto a suburban lawn.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Kidman’s career stretches over four decades, earning her an Academy Award and acclaim across film and television, most recently in Nine Perfect Strangers and Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
The record high afternoon temperatures and record high morning low temperatures are likely to stretch from the northern Plains into the upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes regions.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
As detention stretches on, Kordia said it’s been difficult to follow developments in the war, let alone maintain contact with relatives caught in the conflict.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Two years ago, the Foundation set a stretch goal to raise half of its revenue inside India through CSR; the team reached it in two years.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The collection includes the straight-leg Teddy in rigid and stretch fabrics; the ’90s inspired Gus with a relaxed and slouchy fit; the Jackson, a barrel-leg jean with a V-waist; the Kyle, a stretch flare; and the Leo, a straight-meets-barrel silhouette with a high rise.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
-
The e-commerce and cloud giant will deploy electronic kiosks in One Medical primary care locations starting in December 2025 in the greater Los Angeles area, with expansions to other locations soon after, the company wrote in a press release.—
Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Eisler led the control acquisition of the San Diego Wave for the Levine Leichtman family and Rob Cohen’s winning bid to bring an NWSL expansion team to Denver.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the space of several fraught days, an already difficult situation is compounded by nightmarish setbacks.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
While some consumers are reeling back spending in the restaurant and retail space, the new Chipotle offering could cause a surge in Rewards members, boosting overall sales down the line.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Sullivan was between his future assistants on that spectrum, Parker continues.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Each is tuned to absorb a different slice of the solar spectrum.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The four pillars of happy, Nordic companies that Autio highlights—autonomy, low power distance, work-life balance and collaboration—come as a package.—
Adam Gale,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
-
But if progress in robotics proceeds anywhere close to the speed of the wider AI industry, that wide distance may nevertheless be traversed in a short space of time.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The rubber also features patches of non-slip material to keep you steady while staying flexible with every step.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Eric, a firefighter, worked shifts every third day, while Claire ran her own concrete coatings business with a flexible schedule.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The sheer expanse of places to see in Japan is astounding.—
Kristin Braswell,
AFAR Media,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Between them stretches the long expanse of the table—a zone of tension, where the celestial mission of knowledge collides with the earthly reality of budgets.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Levy lived in the house for a while after it was built in 2000.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
High wattage chargers aren't recommended for regular use due to battery concerns, but having access to quick charging once in a while is a gamechanger for EV owners.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Jaguars responded quickly, with Omagbolahan Daudu punching it in from short range.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Packages with values of $800 or less, which were previously allowed to enter the United States duty-free, are now subject to a range of tariffs and fees.—
Kayla Steinberg,
NBC news,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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