the stretch
noun
: the final straight part of a racecourse before the finish line
the horses are in the (final) stretch
—often used figurativelyShe'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
Riding the ‘Gus Bus’ Gustavsson started for the eighth time in the Wild’s last nine games, with Hynes continuing to rely on him down the stretch.
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Joe Smith, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Those two-putts down the stretch were not detrimental, but did allow Spaun to stay in the tournament.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Still, Creighton played better down the stretch and snapped UConn’s five-game winning streak.
—Tim Casey, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Sixth-year forward Aubrey Griffin is also set to return after resting the Big East Tournament due to knee soreness, so the Auriemma hopes to have multiple options down the stretch.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
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Joe Smith, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
Those two-putts down the stretch were not detrimental, but did allow Spaun to stay in the tournament.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Still, Creighton played better down the stretch and snapped UConn’s five-game winning streak.
—Tim Casey, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Sixth-year forward Aubrey Griffin is also set to return after resting the Big East Tournament due to knee soreness, so the Auriemma hopes to have multiple options down the stretch.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the stretch
Cite this Entry
“The stretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20stretch. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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