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by any stretch

  1. Beyond ordinary limits, especially of the imagination. For example, She could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered a great actress. The phrase sometimes is put in the negative, by no stretch, as in By no stretch can that work be called an opera. [Late 1700s]



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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

From the day Sasaki signed with the Dodgers in January, his agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group, was quick to remind reporters that his young client was “not a finished product by any stretch.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We’re not giving up by any stretch; we’re going to pull out all the stops,” LaMalfa said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He was not, by any stretch, a connoisseur of grilled meats.

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"I don't think all is lost by any stretch of the imagination," Mohammed said.

Read more on BBC

Neither of these is easy by any stretch—and ousting Collins, even though she’s in a much bluer state, is the harder of these two tasks.

Read more on Slate

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