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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching (out)
Verb
-
Mantello’s production actually frees the play from its own time, expanding its vista.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026 -
Murillo said the Mining Arc later became a financial lifeline for the Venezuelan regime as oil revenues collapsed, with gold extraction expanding rapidly under opaque arrangements involving state players and armed groups.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The same applies to the brilliant turquoise of Turks and Caicos’s water, extending miles beyond its shoreline like an electrified aura.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Without extending the boundary, the same area that was under threat of annexation by Hialeah in 2023 remains at risk.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The only way to pull out of an awful season-opening stretch is one at-bat, one pitch, one win at a time.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Founded by Jesús Brazón, the bakery famous for its croissants, sourdough and cachitos will be opening this week at the Harbour Club in Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood.—
Connie Ogle
April 8,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This conservation success is unfolding alongside a broader transition to renewable energy, a shift that is rapidly increasing demand for nickel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
For most Americans, the war involving Iran is unfolding as breaking international news, a conflict half a world away.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Stretching (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretching%20%28out%29. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
