as in enlarged
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1
as in exaggerated
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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2
3
as in lengthened
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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4
as in tried
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
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Recent Examples of stretched
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 Feb. 2026
It’s formulated with calcium to promote new cell growth, adenosine to fill in wrinkles, collagen to maintain your skin’s density and thickness, elastin to restore stretched skin, and Vitamin D for rejuvenation.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
America’s health care system is straining under the twin pressures of an aging population and a stretched pool of health care providers.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
Despite this pullback, the stock still trades at a stretched nine times trailing revenue—well above its historical average of three times.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Transportation officials said delays in the northbound direction stretched up to an hour as of Saturday afternoon, with a roughly two-mile stretch taking drivers far longer than usual to navigate.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman behave as though Fort Lauderdale is their personal canvas for legacy-building, rather than a city facing multi‑year budget deficits, potential property tax upheaval, and residents already stretched thin.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Hoses were stretched across the building as crews battled flames that kept resurfacing.
—Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Federal cuts to programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh and veterans’ benefits are threatening to blow holes in the county budget and shift costs onto local families who are already stretched to the limit.
—Kyle Krahel Frolander, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Hoses were stretched across the arch as crews battled flames that kept resurfacing.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
In the 53rd minute, however, LAFC defenders were stretched and Werner, on the left, struck a cross that found Ousseni Bouda for the first of the Burkina Faso native’s two goals on the day.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
The recovery operation stretched into the wee hours.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Once activated, the Fe-SMA bars aim to shrink back to their pre-stretched shape.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 Feb. 2026
It’s formulated with calcium to promote new cell growth, adenosine to fill in wrinkles, collagen to maintain your skin’s density and thickness, elastin to restore stretched skin, and Vitamin D for rejuvenation.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
America’s health care system is straining under the twin pressures of an aging population and a stretched pool of health care providers.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
Despite this pullback, the stock still trades at a stretched nine times trailing revenue—well above its historical average of three times.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
The 2026 draft footprint stretched across Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium (still Heinz Field in the hearts of civilized people) and by the end of the weekend, the city had hosted one of the biggest football parties in human history.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Transportation officials said delays in the northbound direction stretched up to an hour as of Saturday afternoon, with a roughly two-mile stretch taking drivers far longer than usual to navigate.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman behave as though Fort Lauderdale is their personal canvas for legacy-building, rather than a city facing multi‑year budget deficits, potential property tax upheaval, and residents already stretched thin.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Hoses were stretched across the building as crews battled flames that kept resurfacing.
—Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Federal cuts to programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh and veterans’ benefits are threatening to blow holes in the county budget and shift costs onto local families who are already stretched to the limit.
—Kyle Krahel Frolander, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Hoses were stretched across the arch as crews battled flames that kept resurfacing.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
In the 53rd minute, however, LAFC defenders were stretched and Werner, on the left, struck a cross that found Ousseni Bouda for the first of the Burkina Faso native’s two goals on the day.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
The recovery operation stretched into the wee hours.
—Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretched
Adjective
-
Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that Charles had a form of cancer, discovered after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Organized by the Malta Film Commission, the festival is set to grow in both scale and ambition this year, with an enlarged program of screenings, industry events and cultural offerings aimed at strengthening Malta’s role as an international filmmaking hub.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Goldman Sachs’ David Mericle suggests this reading has perhaps been exaggerated.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Hanks rejected that argument, finding the remarks were exaggerated rather than defamatory.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s when Talley allegedly pulled the pistol out from under a blanket, shooting one officer in the face and a second in the chin, authorities said.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Dodgers pulled within 2-1 in the eighth inning when Freddie Freeman singled with one out to put runners on the corners and Smith delivered an RBI single to right field off of right-hander Michael Petersen.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Prior to the 2002 masters, Augusta lengthened over half the holes and narrowed fairways.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The assassination attempt failed — and Hinckley was arrested, tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982.—
Kelsie Cairns,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
There is something the series hasn’t yet tried, which would certainly get people talking.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The push to strengthen soot regulation yielded a major win in 2024, when the Biden-era EPA tightened the annual standard and adopted a 25% reduction in allowable fine particulate matter levels.—
Chaewon Chung
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, as US peace talks remained distant.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bandit had been monitored in a specialized, padded holding area in the zoo’s medical facility to ensure his safety and comfort.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The pair collided with such force that Dumoulin got knocked up about two feet in the air before landing hard on his padded backside.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This offer will be extended to Spears on Monday, according to the district attorney’s office.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
However, due to the Passover holiday this month, the deadline for mail-in-ballots was extended to April 28.—
Helen Acevedo,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretched. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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