1
as in to extend
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area the dog had outstretched his legs and was lying across the width of the doorway

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2
as in to lengthen
to make longer having outstretched our lunch break beyond all reason, we reluctantly headed back to work

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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 outstretch While kicking around a soccer ball, the little princess took a few breaks to balance on one leg with her arms outstretched above her head. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 26 Nov. 2019 The component sounds of Spanish words, cut down to two vowels and four consonants, are conveyed by whistling, the trick being to curl your fingers against your mouth with one finger outstretched, as if your hand were a gun. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020 And that’s Bell jogging in to score the winning run with both arms outstretched over his head to give the Diamondbacks their only world championship. Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 10 Jan. 2020 As Congress applauded the line, Pelosi stood, outstretched her arms, and clapped slowly and deliberately, as if the clap was more in jest than sincerity. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 23 Dec. 2019 See All Example Sentences for outstretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outstretch
Verb
  • With a frontline of 7-footer Danny Wolf and 7-1 Vlad Goldin, Michigan shut down space near the basket and forced Nebraska to extend its offense.
    Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The Iranian regime spent decades building the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of anti-Western militias that extended Tehran’s influence deep into the Arab world.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • For Carpenter, the dress was lengthened to incorporate an elegant and dramatic train.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Their normal top-flight shot-distance average is from 15 metres but against Liverpool, that lengthens to 17.6m, which reduces the likelihood of scoring.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • She’s since expanded into other jewelry and accessories categories and launched lifestyle items like laptop cases, luggage tags and keychains.
    Layla Ilchi, WWD, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Since then, the company has expanded to more than 20 locations across California, including a wholesale site.
    Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The waistband is made from an elastic that stretches to move with you.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
  • But first and foremost, Fonda is a longtime political activist, stretching from her work speaking out against the Vietnam War to her fight for women's rights, civil rights, and climate change awareness.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced a record-breaking number of small businesses, with 1 in 3 of the now 183,000 small businesses having opened their doors in the last two years.
    Ivo Ivanov, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The Blue Devils raced out to a 15-2 lead in opening six minutes and then burst out of the break with a 24-6 run after the ‘Canes closed the first half with a 7-1 spurt in the final minute to cut the deficit to 47-32.
    Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Accordingly, with no viable domestic production alternative, prices for end-users would increase.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • China is facilitating this by strengthening cooperation with Russia on research and commercial activities, as well as by increasing China's national icebreaker capacity.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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