1
as in extension
the act of making longer
excessive stretching can cause the fabric to tear or lose its elasticity
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2
as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
your constant stretching of the truth is going to get you in trouble someday
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in exaggerating
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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2
as in pulling
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
I stretched a back muscle, and the pain is killing me
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3
as in lengthening
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 trying
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
your whining is stretching my patience to the limit
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5
as in tightening
to draw tight
if the canvas isn't properly stretched over the frame, there will be sagging over time
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stretching
Noun
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With a double-wing extension, the compact home offers more interior space while still being portable and easy to relocate.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025 -
The Canucks would prefer to work out an extension over simply exercising their team option this summer.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The figure was later debunked as a wild exaggeration.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
25 Mar. 2025
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Employees who are naturally inclined toward exaggeration will learn that drama doesn’t work in your environment.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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An executive order, delivered Friday, cites national security concerns for pulling the deal.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Advertisement The lawsuit comes as insurers have been pulling back from California’s home insurance market en masse, often citing the risk of catastrophic events brought on by climate change.—
Andrea Chang,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The six-month pause due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA work stoppages created a pipeline logjam at most streamers, including Netflix, for the second half of 2024 and 2025, further lengthening the gaps between seasons.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
27 Dec. 2024
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Lifting, lengthening, feathering, and deep-dark dramatizing—Lancôme's Lash Idôle Waterproof Mascara hooks us every time.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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New York police on Monday were trying to determine why someone set a woman ablaze board a train in Brooklyn in a fatal attack drawing outrage from city and state leaders who have been laboring to make the trains safer.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
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The holdups come during one of the busiest travel times of the year, frustrating hundreds of customers trying to get home for the holidays.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Barkley said the Commanders brought more defenders near the box, tightening their approach against an offense without its dual-threat option.—
Brooks Kubena,
The Athletic,
22 Dec. 2024
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If the Fed acts early and forcefully by tightening rates again, short-term yields may rise, but long-term yields may not do anything or even fall.—
Garth Friesen,
Forbes,
21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Season 3’s characters have begun to feel less like real people and more like caricatures at this point.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Nearby, on a soundstage, a black ribbon was wrapped around her caricature.—
Alexis Soloski,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Knicks picked up their 14th win in the last 18 games with a dominant wire-to-wire 139-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, extending their winning streak to four games.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
24 Dec. 2024
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The main suite is located near the yacht’s bow, extending privacy and exceptional views—especially from the suite’s balcony with sunbathing area and an infinity pool.—
Julia Zaltzman,
Robb Report,
23 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Stretching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stretching. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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