1
as in extension
the act of making longer
excessive stretching can cause the fabric to tear or lose its elasticity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
your constant stretching of the truth is going to get you in trouble someday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exaggerating
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
as in pulling
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lengthening
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 trying
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in tightening
to draw tight
if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stretching
Kristen Gasnick,
Verywell Health,
24 June 2026
Michelle is way ahead of me on the whole stretching and flexibility tip.
—
Janine Rubenstein,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Interiors designed to honor movement, breath, and stillness in the practice of Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, stretching, and barre exercise are light and airy.
—
Kathleen Turner,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The planes will feature a wellness zone designed to encourage movement and stretching, alongside lighting systems engineered to gradually align travelers with their destination’s time zone and ease jet lag.
—
Jake McGowan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
The doctor was optimistic that Caldwell’s recent discomfort came from tight muscles, rather than nerve damage, and recommended a stretching and strengthening regimen.
—
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
The growth of the embryo is vitally dependent on the stretching of the skin, muscles, and ligaments within the woman’s body as a result of hormonal changes to accommodate this transformation.
—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
9 June 2026
To help prepare your body for sleep, experts recommend activities such as stretching, yoga, meditation, prayer, taking a warm shower or bath, reading, or listening to relaxing music.
—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
9 June 2026
Additional wellness offerings include an infrared sauna, two cold plunges, a pool, and guided stretching and yoga classes.
—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
26 June 2026
October 23 – November 21 What foundation needs your attention before stretching?
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2026
Consumer venture funding collapsed after the direct-to-consumer boom, with the median consumer seed round falling below $1M in early 2025 and the wait to a Series A stretching toward three years.
—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
The agreement with the capital of the Mexican state of Michoacán gives Sacramento 12 official sister cities stretching from Asia to Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
—
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
After his brace yesterday, the Portuguese superstar became the first player to score a goal in six editions of the World Cup, a record stretching back to his debut in 2006.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
The 18th century history of this place is inseparable from the Catholic Church, via 21 Franciscan missions stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.
—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
When the artist Titus Kaphar had the budget-stretching idea to build out a theater in Gagosian’s Beverly Hills gallery to show his new film, Verhallen got the speaker company KEF to donate the sound system.
—
Rachel Corbett,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Tagovailoa has committed himself to building relationships with his new teammates, stretching beyond his fellow quarterbacks and the offense at large.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
While gentle stretching is generally safe for most people after eating, vigorous exercise and/or movements that compress the abdomen can lead to discomfort.
—
Kristen Gasnick,
Verywell Health,
24 June 2026
Michelle is way ahead of me on the whole stretching and flexibility tip.
—
Janine Rubenstein,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Interiors designed to honor movement, breath, and stillness in the practice of Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, stretching, and barre exercise are light and airy.
—
Kathleen Turner,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
The planes will feature a wellness zone designed to encourage movement and stretching, alongside lighting systems engineered to gradually align travelers with their destination’s time zone and ease jet lag.
—
Jake McGowan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
The doctor was optimistic that Caldwell’s recent discomfort came from tight muscles, rather than nerve damage, and recommended a stretching and strengthening regimen.
—
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
The growth of the embryo is vitally dependent on the stretching of the skin, muscles, and ligaments within the woman’s body as a result of hormonal changes to accommodate this transformation.
—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
9 June 2026
To help prepare your body for sleep, experts recommend activities such as stretching, yoga, meditation, prayer, taking a warm shower or bath, reading, or listening to relaxing music.
—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
9 June 2026
Additional wellness offerings include an infrared sauna, two cold plunges, a pool, and guided stretching and yoga classes.
—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
Verb
What foundation needs your attention before stretching?
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
26 June 2026
October 23 – November 21 What foundation needs your attention before stretching?
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2026
Consumer venture funding collapsed after the direct-to-consumer boom, with the median consumer seed round falling below $1M in early 2025 and the wait to a Series A stretching toward three years.
—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
The agreement with the capital of the Mexican state of Michoacán gives Sacramento 12 official sister cities stretching from Asia to Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
—
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2026
After his brace yesterday, the Portuguese superstar became the first player to score a goal in six editions of the World Cup, a record stretching back to his debut in 2006.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
The 18th century history of this place is inseparable from the Catholic Church, via 21 Franciscan missions stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.
—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
When the artist Titus Kaphar had the budget-stretching idea to build out a theater in Gagosian’s Beverly Hills gallery to show his new film, Verhallen got the speaker company KEF to donate the sound system.
—
Rachel Corbett,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Tagovailoa has committed himself to building relationships with his new teammates, stretching beyond his fellow quarterbacks and the offense at large.
—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching
Noun
-
New Delhi is seen as a laggard in the global AI race and, by extension, in the physical AI space.
-
There is no reason this morning in Venezuela should not be a lavish extension of that.
Noun
-
Pirate ship is no exaggeration.
-
But the fastest swimming speed claims are almost certainly indefensible exaggerations.
Verb
-
The four-time Olympian was not exaggerating.
-
Goldman says Lander is exaggerating the gulf between them.
Verb
-
Workers were dispatched throughout La Guaira and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent the last few days pulling survivors and bodies from the wreckage despite a lack of heavy equipment and limited guidance from authorities.
-
Rescuers have fanned out across La Guaira, where the worst destruction occurred, and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and victims from the rubble.
Verb
-
These stretchy, flattering jeans come in a range of washes that are both leg-lengthening and easy to move around in.
-
The mother of the Princess of Wales paired her candy-pink look with lips in a bold cyclamen shade that lit up her smile, while her eyes were accentuated by a bold black line and lengthening mascara.
Verb
-
Brownell is trying Lynkuet, a non-hormonal drug to help with hot flashes and night sweats.
-
Brennan, though, throws the first wrench into the works by instead trying to establish his credibility.
Verb
-
High-end and super-premium American whiskey volumes have grown substantially over the past decade, tightening availability of exactly the kind of aged inventory that investors are helping to create.
-
FedEx Freight says tightening truckload capacity is beginning to push heavier shipments back into the less-than-truckload (LTL) network, offering another clear sign that freight demand is stabilizing after a prolonged downturn.
Noun
-
And the thing about caricatures?
-
Too often, caricatures are deployed to justify unfair and unjust treatment.
Cite this Entry
“Stretching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretching. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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