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
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Recent Examples of stretching
Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Timelines in quantum computing, as in many technically challenging fields, have a habit of stretching.
—Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Bosa was also doing some stretching and high knees with the training staff, according to Nick Wagoner.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Creating a winding-down routine, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, doing gentle stretching, or listening to calming music.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2025
In real life, that looks like gentle walking, casual stretching, standing instead of sitting, or light household chores.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Because the sliding molecules are built into the gel (not just mixed in), their motion directly couples with the gel’s stretching.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Generally, the day begins with stretching and a light lift in the weight room.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Both groups showed less shrinkage than expected from previous research, possibly because even balance and stretching produces brain benefits.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
The often snowy State Route 67, stretching some 43 miles south from Jacob Lake Inn to the lodge and scenic overlooks, goes unplowed after the first big storm.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 5 Oct. 2025
With temperatures stretching well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the race surface and humidity upwards of 80 percent, the environs of the Formula 1 circuit in Singapore are among the most punishing on the calendar.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The bridge carries the A75 autoroute across the Tarn valley, stretching 2,460 meters.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Over the years, millions of dollars in gold coins from the 1715 Fleet have been found by salvagers and treasure hunters in a coastal area stretching from Melbourne to Fort Pierce.
—Kate Payne, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters The Senate on Friday once again did not pass dueling funding bills that would have kept the three-day-old government shutdown from stretching into next week.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
As storytellers, Supergiant have defined their own personal tone that pervades their body work, stretching from games like Bastion to Pyre.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
This can include walking, stretching, taking an active recovery day and getting quality sleep.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
Small changes, such as taking short active breaks or incorporating stretching exercises, can make a significant difference.
—Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Timelines in quantum computing, as in many technically challenging fields, have a habit of stretching.
—Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Bosa was also doing some stretching and high knees with the training staff, according to Nick Wagoner.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Creating a winding-down routine, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, doing gentle stretching, or listening to calming music.
—Md Published, Verywell Health, 19 Sep. 2025
In real life, that looks like gentle walking, casual stretching, standing instead of sitting, or light household chores.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Because the sliding molecules are built into the gel (not just mixed in), their motion directly couples with the gel’s stretching.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Generally, the day begins with stretching and a light lift in the weight room.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Both groups showed less shrinkage than expected from previous research, possibly because even balance and stretching produces brain benefits.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
Deafening whistles soundtracked the final nine minutes of Sunday’s clash after Grealish’s goal, the game stretching into the 102nd minute before the time was called.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
The often snowy State Route 67, stretching some 43 miles south from Jacob Lake Inn to the lodge and scenic overlooks, goes unplowed after the first big storm.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 5 Oct. 2025
With temperatures stretching well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the race surface and humidity upwards of 80 percent, the environs of the Formula 1 circuit in Singapore are among the most punishing on the calendar.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The bridge carries the A75 autoroute across the Tarn valley, stretching 2,460 meters.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025
Over the years, millions of dollars in gold coins from the 1715 Fleet have been found by salvagers and treasure hunters in a coastal area stretching from Melbourne to Fort Pierce.
—Kate Payne, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters The Senate on Friday once again did not pass dueling funding bills that would have kept the three-day-old government shutdown from stretching into next week.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
As storytellers, Supergiant have defined their own personal tone that pervades their body work, stretching from games like Bastion to Pyre.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
This can include walking, stretching, taking an active recovery day and getting quality sleep.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching
Noun
-
The companies also entered into a multiyear extension of Peacock’s availability across Google’s Android platforms, including Google Play and Google TV.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Without the extension and the new agreement, NBCU and Versant channels would have gone black on YouTube TV, which serves about 10 million subscribers.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Overstatement, gross exaggeration, outright lying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
-
And like the previous two, including an Emmy Award-winning 2022 series about Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, the story of Ed Gein has a number of exaggerations and fabrications over its eight episodes.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Giménez was exaggerating, but not by much.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Over half, or 51 percent, admitted to exaggerating their financial success, with Gen Z (54 percent) leading the way compared to millennials (48 percent).—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Over and over, the department has used the threat of pulling federal funding to force compliance with new directives and rapid shifts in policy.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025
-
After pulling her daughter out of public school, Thompson enrolled Meadow in Fortune Academy and eventually became its director of development.—
Tory Basile,
IndyStar,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The modifications included lengthening the body by 10 inches, lowering it, and giving it a new rear aero kit, as well as a new exhaust setup.—
Ben Oliver,
Robb Report,
30 Sep. 2025
-
And lengthening it is a cinch—just hook it up to the faucet; the water pressure flowing into the hose will enlarge it for you.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What are Louisville and Kentucky leaders trying to achieve with all the road work downtown?—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Reliever Luke Weaver melted down again, and then seemed lost trying to explain it postgame.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Previous polls had shown Spanberger ahead by wider margins, signaling a tightening race over the past month.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The most stomach-tightening course arguably involves the Cave Peak Stairway, a 200-foot-long steel bridge that spans from one peak to another.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Performers milled on the street with bobbing paper mache heads of Uncle Sam and other caricatures.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Contemporary leaders and still-in-progress totalitarian regimes bump up against Ralph Steadman’s caricature sketches for an edition of Animal Farm, Orwell’s second most famous book, and clips from three different screen adaptations of 1984, his most famous work.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stretching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretching. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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