the stretch

noun

: the final straight part of a racecourse before the finish line

the horses are in the (final) stretch

—often used figuratively

She's in the final stretch. The baby's due next month.

They will wind up the season with a winning record having won some crucial games down the stretch.

Examples of the stretch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Richardson was the best player on the floor at Crisler Center, putting 21 points on Michigan, including clutch buckets down the stretch. —Brendan Quinn, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025

And if the Bucks decline down the stretch, Brooklyn will benefit the most. —C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025

The 48 minutes that followed in a miserable 100-97 loss, though, wouldn’t provide any of them, the Lakers bad on offense for most of the night and unable to get a stop down the stretch. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025

The Huskies may also need Griffin to contribute more down the stretch for more practical reasons. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for the stretch

• etch
• fetch
• fletch
• ketch
• sketch
• vetch
• wretch