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

Among the players in this tier, Räty’s contributions have stood out in a major way down the stretch. —Thomas Drance, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025

One Nets loss down the stretch, or a Toronto win, will clinch the sixth-best draft lottery odds for Brooklyn. —C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025

Davion Mitchell, continuing to inject a spark off the bench, chipped in 12 points, nine assists, four rebounds, a block and a steal and hit two key baskets down the stretch. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2025

Golden’s squad erased a 12-point second-half deficit by matching Houston’s physicality, relying on defense and getting just enough scoring from All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. and Co. down the stretch to stun the Cougars. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025

Rhymes for the stretch

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