STRETCHING Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

stretching 1 of 2

noun

as in extension

the act of making longer excessive stretching can cause the fabric to tear or lose its elasticity

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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stretching

2 of 2

verb

present participle of stretch

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pulling

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

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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

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as in trying

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 tightening

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 stretching

Noun

Walking, dancing, stretching, and other regular physical activities are equally sensible places to start. — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026 Further north, the coastal flood advisory has been extended through Friday in the Bay Area, with the advisory stretching inland into portions of Sonoma County along river banks. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026 After your run, follow up with static, traditional stretching. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026 Other days included yoga and stretching, catching hundreds of balls on the Jugs machine or recovering at Kollective, a social performance club in Austin. — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026 Daily laundry service after a day spent hiking, stretching, and sprinting is a welcome bonus. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 Research suggests that short-duration static stretching incorporated into a complete warm-up has little effect on subsequent performance. — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 7 Oct. 2026 Then the team broke for stretching, and the coach went down the line asking how everyone felt. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026 Lüst and his colleagues’ proposal, meanwhile, requires slightly more stretching of the imagination to be plausible. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Watkins scored 11 points during a decisive third quarter in which USC outscored UNLV 31-10, stretching a 52-39 halftime lead to 83-49. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 The National Weather Service temperature outlook for the next three months shows the likelihood of above-average temperatures stretching from the Pacific Northwest, through the Upper Midwest and right through the Northeast. — Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 The 32805 ZIP code, which includes the Rock Lake, Holden Heights and West Lake neighborhoods, runs along the western border of downtown Orlando, stretching from Colonial Drive south to Interstate 4. — Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026 The chrono in question is the first official team watch IWC created as part of a longstanding partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team stretching back to 2013. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2026 Taking care of yourself on flights, stretching before your flight, taking vitamins. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026 Caleb Wilson bounded into the paint with the lack of abandon every rookie possesses, stretching his arms toward the rim in a desperate reach for the ball. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026 Like several other important fossils previously sold at auction, Jodi comes from Hell Creek Formation, a geological boneyard stretching across Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2026 Videos shot by local residents showed a flood of people stretching for miles, with the crowd estimated at 250,000 by the CGT and 110,000 by the Interior Ministry. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 25 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching

Noun

Unlike Mack, whom the Bears had to pay after acquiring him from the Oakland Raiders, the Titans already did the contract for Simmons, signing him to an extension in June that included a $20 million signing bonus.

— Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
And regardless of when that suspension comes, the new allegations are a black eye against Jacobs and the Packers by extension for continuing to support a player who carries an expanding list of domestic abuse allegations.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of extension

Noun

To justify a top-down overhaul, some have levied sweeping attacks, rhetoric and clear exaggerations against the traditional system.

— Eric Wargotz, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
Without exaggeration, no single other sports accessory has become such a permanent fixture of everyday style.

— Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of exaggeration

Verb

But to imply that a world-class athlete is exaggerating an injury to preserve his reputation is a staggering lapse in judgment.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
South Korea’s military, which often accuses the North of exaggerating its military technologies, did not immediately comment on KCNA’s report.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of exaggerating

Verb

Reggie Tongue had a 7-yard fumble return for a touchdown that resulted in the Chargers pulling quarterback Erik Kramer from the game and replacing him with Jim Harbaugh, who is now the team’s current coach.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026
That includes making your bed, folding clothes, even pulling on a sweatshirt, where your nails are at risk of getting caught and pulling.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of pulling

Verb

Longini explained that climate change is increasing mosquito populations and lengthening their active seasons, contributing to dengue’s spread globally.

— Alex DeLuca, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
In both countries, falling fertility rates and lengthening lifespans keep worsening the fiscal picture.

— NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of lengthening

Verb

Hertzberg said he’s talked to investors who may be willing to buy these bonds at cheaper rates, given the crushing issue the funding is trying to solve.

— Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
For this week, however, Morris is an evil stepsibling, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator trying to slow down Robinson and the Falcons’ offense.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of trying

Verb

The latest donation from the Citadel hedge fund founder comes as polls show the race between Donalds and Democratic candidate David Jolly tightening more than expected.

— Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Given a strong economy and persistent inflation, a pause does not mean the end of the tightening cycle, according to Gareth Leather, senior Asia economist at Capital Economics.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of tightening

Noun

But on that score, too, Jackson tries to soften the caricature of the billionaire executive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
What is acceptable in today’s society is the Real Housewives franchise, where all of these things kind of play out, but almost in caricature.

— Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026