Meaning & use

stretch

verb·Everyday

To extend one's body or limbs, or to make something longer, wider, or tighter by pulling it.

See it in a sentence

She paused mid-run to stretch her calves against the park bench.

The road stretched for miles across the flat, empty desert.

A note on using this word

As a noun, 'a stretch' can describe either a period of time or an exaggerated claim, as in 'that's a bit of a stretch.'

Words with a similar meaning

extendelongate

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

contractshrink

Another way to use it

2. noun

A continuous period of time or a continuous section of something, such as a road or piece of land.

He worked a ten-hour stretch without taking a single break.

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