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
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of stretch
Mike Wall, Space.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Cider’s has a bit of stretch and a subtle side slit.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
Mike Isaac, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
The cold air will start in the Rockies and Great Plains on Friday, reach the Deep South and Great Lakes by Saturday night, then stretch into the East Coast on Sunday, forecasters said.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025
Kenny Torrella, Vox, 26 Nov. 2024
Use lunch breaks as an opportunity to step away from your screen, stretch, and take care of yourself.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stretch 
Noun
Monday's Starship launch will be part of a busy and exciting spaceflight stretch, if all goes to plan.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Cider’s has a bit of stretch and a subtle side slit.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
In October, YouTube expanded the maximum length of YouTube Shorts videos to three minutes, up from one, to capture creators accustomed to TikTok, where videos can stretch up to 10 minutes.
—Mike Isaac, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
The cold air will start in the Rockies and Great Plains on Friday, reach the Deep South and Great Lakes by Saturday night, then stretch into the East Coast on Sunday, forecasters said.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Instead, they were transported from Minnesota, the country’s top turkey-producing state, to Washington, DC, in a stretch black Cadillac Escalade.
—Kenny Torrella, Vox, 26 Nov. 2024
Use lunch breaks as an opportunity to step away from your screen, stretch, and take care of yourself.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretch
Noun
-
The arrival in February last year of Maggio as CEO was a first sign of changes at the brand, which pointed to further international expansion and the strengthening of its position as a luxury fashion label.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
10 Jan. 2025
-
The combination of low humidity, dry fuels, and shifting winds has heightened the potential for spot fires and rapid expansion.—
Anna Skinner,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement And even the space itself became part of the music.—
Tim Greiving,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Photo : Simon Berlyn The spa space has both hot and cold plunge pools.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Balance Cool Greens with Warm Accents Sage green tends to veer toward the cooler side of the spectrum, so warm-toned accents can help give it a lift.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2025
-
But the push to lift the cap on SALT — an expensive tax deduction that’s popular among wealthier taxpayers in several higher tax states — is facing pushback from the other end of the ideological spectrum in the GOP, where fiscal hawks warn about the budgetary impacts.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
11 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The additional distance required to get around the arena and in front of the box added a mile and changed to the marathon’s original 25-mile distance.—
Venkat Viswanathan,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The intrigue: The show has featured pundits, reporters and analysts who don't cover the beat in Washington D.C., giving it distance from the capitol while talking about national politics.—
Justin Kaufmann,
Axios,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Many progressive groups grossly exaggerate problems as an argument for federalizing national elections or to use as a fundraising tool.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
-
The book generated a backlash among Israel’s supporters, and he was accused of exaggerating the situation and misstating some facts.—
Peter Baker,
New York Times,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.—
Stephan Rabimov,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
-
The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.—
Kelly Allen,
House Beautiful,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
-
As climate change lengthens the shipping season, Greenland occupies an important strategic location.—
John Cassidy,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
-
Here are some tips for buying and storing the vegetables used in the following recipes, suggestions to help lengthen their freshness: Bell Peppers: Select those with glossy, smooth skin without soft spots or wrinkles.—
Cathy Thomas,
Orange County Register,
1 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Siu believes the very nature of how indies are made encourages more personal and authentic representations of what their creators are trying to impart, unimpeded by the corporate expectations that often bog down AAA games.—
Hayes Madsen,
Rolling Stone,
11 Jan. 2025
-
Yet as more starting pitchers try to extract more movement and velocity out of their pitch mix, it's almost become an either-or proposition.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
11 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to stretch
Thesaurus Entries Near stretch
Cite this Entry
“Stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretch. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share