1 A2 neutral
To lie down or relax with your body fully extended.
"After the long flight, she stretched out on the hotel bed and fell asleep immediately."
stretch out
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To extend your body, limbs, or something else to its full length, or to spread over a large area.
In plain English
To make your body, arm, or something else as long as possible by extending it fully.
What does "stretch out" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To extend a hand or arm toward something or someone.
"He stretched out his hand and helped her to her feet."
separable
3 B1 neutral
(Of a place or time) To extend over a large area or a long period.
"The golden wheat fields stretched out as far as the eye could see."
4 B1 idiomatic informal
To make something last longer by using it slowly or carefully.
"She tried to stretch out her savings until the end of the month."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To extend something outward so it becomes fully elongated — transparent.
Actually means
To make your body, arm, or something else as long as possible by extending it fully.
Usage tip
Very common and versatile. Used for body positions, physical objects, landscapes, and time. 'Stretch out on the sofa' is a very typical usage. Also used for landscapes extending into the distance.
Words that pair with "stretch out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
legs arms sofa bed plains road hand
How to conjugate "stretch out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stretch out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stretches out
he/she/it
Past simple
stretched out
yesterday
Past participle
stretched out
have + pp
-ing form
stretching out
continuous
Hear "stretch out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "stretch out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "stretch out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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