1
as in expansion
a wide space or area
a narrow stretch of beach below the cliffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in space
an indefinite but usually short period of time
there was a cardinal at our bird feeder for a short stretch last spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in distance
the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects
the longest stretch of the drive without any place to get gas
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to exaggerate
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
3
as in to lengthen
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 to try
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in flexible
able to revert to original size and shape after being stretched, squeezed, or twisted
stretch fabrics that don't wrinkle or sag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stretch
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
That critical stretch of Game 3 swung the Lakers’ postseason.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
One source familiar with Secret Service operations said pushing the perimeter further away from the ballroom would have required additional staffing at a time when the agency was already stretched thin.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Malia Griggs, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026
The Ribcage Wide-Leg jeans have a high-rise waist that’s right on trend, along with a leg-lengthening inseam and non-stretch denim that breaks in beautifully.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stretch
Noun
Getting to face the lowly Orlando Magic, who themselves are in the middle of their own stretch of subpar play since Dwight Howard left the building more than a decade earlier.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
That critical stretch of Game 3 swung the Lakers’ postseason.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Silk skirts are a staple of my travel wardrobe, taking up minimal suitcase space while stretching my outfit options.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 29 Apr. 2026
One source familiar with Secret Service operations said pushing the perimeter further away from the ballroom would have required additional staffing at a time when the agency was already stretched thin.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The baggy straight-wide silhouette feels relaxed but still pulled together, with stretch denim and a drawstring waist for comfort.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026
The Ribcage Wide-Leg jeans have a high-rise waist that’s right on trend, along with a leg-lengthening inseam and non-stretch denim that breaks in beautifully.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
-
Yet another secondary effect of the Iran war is the expansion of modern drone warfare to the Persian Gulf region.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline pipeline is operating near its 7 million-barrel-per-day capacity, with expansion plans under review.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The movement from Odegaard and Zubimendi towards the ball occupies Willock and Guimaraes, while White attacks the space vacated by the Newcastle captain and Havertz drops to provide a passing option.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Romantic Venus sextiles dreamy Neptune, softening conversations and opening space for empathy, imagination, and meaningful exchange.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That certification does not mention mines specifically and is intended to protect against the entire spectrum of threats, including missile and drone attacks or seizures, Mortimer said.—
Ben Finley,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The imagery honors a wide spectrum of workers, from street vendors and farm workers to factory employees and rideshare drivers, many of whom are foundational to Los Angeles but often go unseen.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite decades of extensive research, covering the average distance of 140 million miles — orders of magnitude farther than the Moon — with a human crew remains a distant goal.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Across the way sits Sherwood Island State Park, and views stretch to the Long Island Sound in the near distance.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This was borrowed directly from American sports reporters, with their propensity to exaggerate to make a point, often by citing absurd numbers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Goldman Sachs’ David Mericle suggests this reading has perhaps been exaggerated.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The only question was which lever Brown would pull to save his team’s season in the first round of the playoffs.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
All of which is great news for Adam Silver and everyone else pulling a paycheck from the league.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The same instinct shows up in the lifestyle creator influencer accent, characterized by uptalk and the lengthening and extra stressing on words.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The one concern with Mesidor are the injury issues that lengthened his stay in the college ranks to six years.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Russia is trying to punish Ukraine on the battlefield.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
When Andrei Vasilevskiy tried to poke the puck away, Bolduc had moved so deep into the crease area that the puck went off him and into the net for his first career playoff goal.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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