stretched 1 of 2

past tense of stretch
1
2
as in pulled
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
as in tightened
to draw tight if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stretched

2 of 2

adjective

Example 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 stretched
Verb
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
Adjective
In all, 160 guests filled the hall, where the banquet table stretched 155 feet, glittering with 139 candles and more than 1,400 pieces of cutlery. Nik Popli, Time, 17 Sep. 2025 Videos shared by Russian media showed passengers sleeping on the floors of Sheremetyevo, the country’s busiest airport, as long queues stretched through the terminals. David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 With a radio network that stretched across the entire region – from Virginia to Mississippi and Florida to Kentucky – the Braves built one of the biggest fanbases in the sport. Coy Wire, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 Long lines of traffic stretched down Gaza’s coastal road Tuesday, with vehicles piled high with mattresses and belongings while others fled on foot. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Barely any other media in recent times has given me an instant shock of glee or revulsion like this absurd anarcho-cartoon being stretched and squeezed to its most grotesque and wholesome clickbait limits. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 10 Sep. 2025 The evacuation order zone stretched north of Los Coches Road, to south of I-8, to east of Los Coches Road to west of Lake Jennings Park Road and Kumeyaay Highway, according to Genasys Protect mapping. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025 But some have stretched their fame even further, appearing on English (and American) reality series and baking for members of the royal family. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025 The length of his body stretched out across hers, from her shoulders down to her waist, with his tiny paws hanging even further. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretched
Verb
  • In early 2025, the stock fell nearly 57% from February to April in the wake of a short-seller report that alleged the company had exaggerated its e-commerce performance and breached service terms.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • This performative solidarity was not appreciated by Saudi commentators who argued Egypt exaggerated the seriousness of Netanyahu's comments in a bid to drag Saudi Arabia in a confrontation with the Israelis for political reasons.
    Khaled Hassan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • She’s definitely delayed or pulled releases or skipped entire seasons.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • First lady Jill Biden pulled Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff aside.
    Chris Megerian, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Anecdotes of patients who have undergone multicancer screening and had their lives lengthened by early discovery of cancer should be taken seriously.
    Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Legislators lengthened the state’s deadline to prosecute rapes of adults from 10 to 15 years.
    Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When the shot rang out, Nathalie tried to reach her daughter, but the melee of panicked runners forced her out a side gate.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The next day, Encarnacion hit a 442-foot homer in his second at-bat of the game, then injured his hamstring in his third at-bat as Encarnacion tried running out an infield single.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His chest immediately tightened and his arm went numb.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
  • In addition to the tougher test, the agency has resumed neighborhood investigations of citizenship applicants, reinforced background checks and tightened the evaluation of disability waivers.
    Daniel Shoer Roth, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2000, Thomson was bought by the German company Preussag, with the enlarged business — which was listed in London and Frankfurt — rechristened TUI two years later.
    Ian King, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • But roughly 20-30% of people who are infected develop severe symptoms, including a range of heart issues—such as heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or even death—and digestive issues—such as an enlarged esophagus or colon, which could cause problems with eating or going to the bathroom.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The lack of any real surprises or subversions along the way can be a drag, making the Prime Video miniseries feel a bit padded even at a relatively trim six hour-long episodes.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The hosts padded their lead in the fourth.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Romy Gonzalez started the fun with a leadoff double, Nate Eaton extended the lead with an RBI single and Rafaela tacked on another of his own.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The warnings and advisories may be extended depending on Saturday's observations.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretched. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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