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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of outstretch
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
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
See All Example Sentences for outstretch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outstretch
Verb
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Hardware proven beyond Earth That validation already extends into space.—
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These shifts extend beyond demographics to governance itself.—
Verb
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The strands just brush her brows in the center and gradually lengthen towards the sides to blend in with the rest of her hair.—
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The Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) sets rules for how defendants can use classified evidence in court and can lengthen the pretrial process.—
Verb
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Flywing also plans to expand the competitive side of the platform.—
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Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.—
Verb
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Just as Victor appeared to break open, Jackson leaped into the air, stretched his right arm skyward and pulled down a dazzling one-handed catch at the 3-yard line.—
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Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association, which represents hundreds of air cargo companies, said flight reductions will worsen the disruption already being felt across the aviation sector as the federal government shutdown stretches on.—
Verb
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The burger chain originally opened in 1982 near the corner of C Street and Elvas Avenue in East Sacramento, according to previous Bee reporting.—
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The new Claribel Road bridge is scheduled to open by the end of 2026, with Phase 1 of the North County Corridor project expected to open to traffic in early 2028.—
Verb
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The committee approved Lucas’s amendment and approved the recommendation to increase funding for the temporary jail.—
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Iwobi’s movement drags Ladislav Krejci wider, increasing the space between the lines and creating a clear passing angle for Calvin Bassey.—
Cite this Entry
“Outstretch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outstretch. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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