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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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

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 This is where your warm-up becomes most specific to your needs, and where generic stretching and movement most often fall short. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Options include playing soft music when work ends, taking a mindful shower focused on water and breathing or doing five to 10 minutes of gentle stretching. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026 The newest campus parties trade the keg for wellness activities like group runs, cold plunges, HIIT, yoga, Pilates and stretching. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026

Verb

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 He was noticed stretching on the sideline and trying to keep his back loose with trainers, but to no avail. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 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 The company has been stretching to meet customers’ needs and was reviewing different financial paths to expand production and become more competitive, Solidigm said in a statement Friday. — Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026 Stepping away from your screen, taking a short walk, stretching, or sitting quietly for a few minutes can offer a brief pause from the demands of the day. — Kriti Kumar, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 The center of the low is expected to impact North Carolina and Virginia, with effects stretching up to coastal New Jersey and down to Florida. — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 For Cyrus, that’s meant stretching the boundaries of pop music and, by proxy, pop stardom. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026 The broader planning area covers nearly 800 acres, stretching from Alameda Avenue to Colfax Avenue and from the South Platte River to Santa Fe Drive. — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching

Noun

Bolsonaro's campaign had also requested an extension, citing heavy rains that shut polling stations in the south, a right-wing stronghold.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Bolsonaro also sought an extension, citing heavy rain in some states.

— Catherine Osborn, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of extension

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

One of the most fun parts of writing comedy is coming up with alt after alt after alt for a joke, pulling ever-increasingly stupid punch lines out of one’s ass.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
The deputy made a U-turn and saw the man, who deputies say is 49-year-old Brenton Burke, kneeling under the truck’s steering column and pulling wires, the arrest report states.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 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