How to pronounce stretch
Say it like STRECH. Stretch is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce stretch. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- STRECH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Stretch pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- STRECHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of stretch
American and British speakers say stretch in essentially the same way: /strɛtʃ/ in the US and /strɛtʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: STRECH.
What does stretch mean?
- occupy a large, elongated area“The park stretched beneath the train line”
- extend one's limbs or muscles, or the entire body“Stretch your legs!”“Extend your right arm above your head”
- extend or stretch out to a greater or the full length“Unfold the newspaper”“stretch out that piece of cloth”
- a large and unbroken expanse or distance“a stretch of highway”“a stretch of clear water”
- the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
- a straightaway section of a racetrack
- having an elongated seating area“a stretch limousine”
- easily stretched“stretch hosiery”
Where does stretch come from?
From Middle English strecchen, from Old English streċċan (“to stretch, hold out, extend, spread out, prostrate”), from Proto-West Germanic *strakkjan (“to stretch, make taut or tight”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)treg-, *streg-, *treg- (“stiff, rigid”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with stretch
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of stretch.
Questions about saying stretch
How do you pronounce stretch?
Say STRECH. The American pronunciation is /strɛtʃ/. In British English it is /strɛtʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in stretch?
Stretch is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: STRECH.
Do Americans and Brits say stretch the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /strɛtʃ/ and the British form is /strɛtʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.