STRETCHING (OUT) Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

stretching (out)

verb

present participle of stretch (out)

as in spreading (out)

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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching (out)

Verb

Satellite imagery has already spied an area of rising seas expanding north from South and Central America to California’s Baja Peninsula, with a northward expansion expected from there.

— Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
All six of his solo shows — Sleepwalk with Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, Thank God For Jokes, The New One, The Old Man & The Pool and The Good Life — have enjoyed successful runs on and off Broadway before expanding their audiences on Netflix.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of expanding

Verb

In Ocean Springs, where Nolan lived and first made a name for himself, the focus remained on the high school’s football game unfolding in front of them – no moment of silence, visible memorials, signs, ribbons or public tributes.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Can this connection roll with an unforeseen professional development that’s unfolding?

— USA TODAY, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of unfolding

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.

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stretching

stretching (out)

stretch (out)

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“Stretching (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretching%20%28out%29. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of stretching (out)

verb

Example Sentences

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