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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
The stretched body improves aerodynamics while giving the car a sleek, understated appearance.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
As negotiations stretched on, the district announced that schools would be closed on Monday, prompting families to scramble for childcare and alternative plans.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Milan-Cortina Olympics stretched across four cities and 265 miles, using movie magic and Andrea Bocelli to unite the Winter Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The $500 billion in purchases will be stretched over five years and include areas such as data centers and energy, but also factor in some existing projects.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Yet immigration enforcement is stretched thin given the number of undocumented, and their job is made more difficult by protests and the lack of cooperation from so many state and local governments.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2026
The return of the remains of hostages meanwhile stretched far beyond the 72-hour timeline outlined in the agreement.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Urban uprisings and rebellions by Blacks stretched from coast to coast.
—Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
The books' massive success made a film adaptation inevitable, eventually resulting in five blockbuster movies released between 2008 and 2012 (Breaking Dawn was stretched into two films because one epic finale just wasn't enough).
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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
The stretched body improves aerodynamics while giving the car a sleek, understated appearance.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Kravitz was originally trained as a K–6 educator in Boone, North Carolina, yet her ambitions stretched beyond the classroom.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
As negotiations stretched on, the district announced that schools would be closed on Monday, prompting families to scramble for childcare and alternative plans.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Milan-Cortina Olympics stretched across four cities and 265 miles, using movie magic and Andrea Bocelli to unite the Winter Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The $500 billion in purchases will be stretched over five years and include areas such as data centers and energy, but also factor in some existing projects.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Yet immigration enforcement is stretched thin given the number of undocumented, and their job is made more difficult by protests and the lack of cooperation from so many state and local governments.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2026
The return of the remains of hostages meanwhile stretched far beyond the 72-hour timeline outlined in the agreement.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Urban uprisings and rebellions by Blacks stretched from coast to coast.
—Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
The books' massive success made a film adaptation inevitable, eventually resulting in five blockbuster movies released between 2008 and 2012 (Breaking Dawn was stretched into two films because one epic finale just wasn't enough).
—Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretched
Adjective
-
During Coulier's six-month checkup and PET scans, doctors discovered a flare-up had returned as an enlarged tumor.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Other features include an entrance plaza, a new seventy-four-seat forum, an enlarged seventh-floor sky room, and three new elevators, to improve circulation.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Schmidt Automotive Research said Chinese growth was exaggerated by special conditions in the second half of 2025 but will still be formidable.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In some cases, China has exaggerated its actual contributions, sowing mistrust about its agenda.—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At one point, the individual appears to tilt their head away from a doorbell camera, hold a flashlight in their mouth and attempt to cover the lens with a gloved hand and what looked like part of a plant pulled from the yard.—
Bradford Betz , Matt Finn,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Wills pulled together a men’s fashion show with local and national celebrities, followed by dinner, dancing and a movie.—
Mark Woolsey,
AJC.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While that was to be only three weeks, Mohammadi’s time out of prison lengthened, possibly as activists and Western powers pushed Iran to keep her free.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Her medical furlough was initially to be for three weeks, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly on account of activists and Western powers pushing Iran to keep her free.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Russian government has tried to block Telegram before, including in 2018.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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And as referenced above, the president tried to overturn the 2020 election.—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Villa had taken the lead in the first half through Morgan but toiled in the second, unable to play as incisively after Andoni Iraola tightened his midfield.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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However, Zelenskyy, backed by European leaders and some members of Congress, has insisted that the sanctions regime against Russia must instead be tightened to starve the Russian war machine of revenue and Western technological components.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The pair has a slightly more vintage feel, with a sporty, layered panel construction and comfortable padded insoles.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
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The under-3 set can play in a padded area or roll around in a ball pit at Tot*Spot.—
Elena Donovan Mauer,
Parents,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It was originally supposed to expire in 2021 but was extended for five more years.—
VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Georgia Southern extended its lead to as much as 10 in the fourth before a 3-pointer from Texas State guard Deja Jones cut the deficit to five.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretched. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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