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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lengthen
to make longer
having outstretched our lunch break beyond all reason, we reluctantly headed back to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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
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Holland and Sasser will be suspended for one game, and Stewart will be suspended for two games. Oklahoma City aims to extend its 10-game winning streak as the Thunder face off against the Detroit Pistons.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
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The final minutes of the horror movie show her being engulfed in darkness until a match is struck, revealing a candle with someone’s hand extended over the flame.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Listen to this article The assumption when San Diego State added transfer Hunter Green to the roster is that Green would join the lengthening line of standout Aztecs punters.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Mar. 2025
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All-Star left fielder Jurickson Profar, whom the Braves signed in free agency, lengthens their lineup even further.—
Jim Bowden,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In this slice-of-life portrait, Chen shows how childhood experiences can shape someone, illustrating how a childhood passion might expand their horizons without necessarily becoming a lifelong vocation.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2025
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Several hours later, the judge expanded his order to prevent the Trump administration from deporting any migrants believed to be members of Tren de Aragua under the Alien Enemies Act.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Present-day mid-level leaders are already being stretched like never before.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlook for Wednesday confirms an enhanced risk area stretching from extreme northeast Texas and northern Louisiana through Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and into Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and western Ohio.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Basehor’s population has more than tripled since 2000, and residents will no longer have to drive to Bonner Springs or KCK after the Fareway opens.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
3 Apr. 2025
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Lecture on history of Umatilla Author and local historian Richard Cronin will present a lecture on the founding of Umatilla and the railroad that opened the region at 2 p.m. April 7 at the Umatilla Public Library, 412 Hatfield Drive.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The change was stark, as Paramount has been a leader in promoting diversity in Hollywood, championing initiatives to increase representation on-screen through programming as well as behind the scenes, through programs designed to diversify writers, directors and producers.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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The researchers found that kids could reliably come up with loopholes quickly on demand by age eight, with their skill increasing between age five and seven.—
Charlotte Hu,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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