stretcher

American  

[strech-er] / ˈstrɛtʃ ər /

noun

• stretchers
  plural

1. Medicine/Medical.

   1. a kind of litter, often of canvas stretched on a frame, for carrying the sick, wounded, or dead.

   2. a similar litter on wheels, adapted for use in ambulances and hospitals.

2. a person or thing that stretches.

3. any of various instruments for extending, widening, distending, etc.

4. a bar, beam, or fabricated material, serving as a tie or brace.

5. Masonry. a brick or stone laid in a wall so that its longer edge is exposed or parallel to the surface.

6. a simple wooden framework on which the canvas for an oil painting is stretched.

7. Furniture.

   1. a framework connecting and bracing the legs of a piece of furniture.

   2. one member of this framework.

8. a crosspiece that is set athwart and near the bottom in a small boat, and against which the feet of a rower are braced.

9. one of the thin, sliding rods connecting the canopy and handle of an umbrella.

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verb (used with object)

• stretchers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• stretchered,
  past participle,  past
• stretchering
  present participle

1. to stretch (canvas for a painting) on a stretcher.

stretcher British  

/ ˈstrɛtʃə /

noun

1. a device for transporting the ill, wounded, or dead, consisting of a frame covered by canvas or other material

2. a strengthening often decorative member joining the legs of a chair, table, etc

3. the wooden frame on which canvas is stretched and fixed for oil painting

4. a tie beam or brace used in a structural framework

5. a brick or stone laid horizontally with its length parallel to the length of a wall Compare header

6. rowing a fixed board across a boat on which an oarsman braces his feet

7. a camp bed

8. slang an exaggeration or lie

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verb

1. to transport (a sick or injured person) on a stretcher

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stretchers
  plural

Participles

• stretchering
  present
• stretchered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• stretcher
  simple
• stretchers
  simple
• have stretchered
  perfect
• has stretchered
  perfect
• am stretchering
  progressive
• are stretchering
  progressive
• is stretchering
  progressive
• have been stretchering
  perfect progressive
• has been stretchering
  perfect progressive

Past

• stretchered
  simple
• had stretchered
  perfect
• was stretchering
  progressive
• were stretchering
  progressive
• had been stretchering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will stretcher
  simple
• will have stretchered
  perfect
• will be stretchering
  progressive
• will have been stretchering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of stretcher

First recorded in 1375–1425, stretcher is from the late Middle English word stretcher. See stretch, -er ¹

Explanation

In a hospital, a stretcher is a device used to carry a person who must lie flat and can't move on their own. It takes two strong people to carry a patient on a stretcher. Although the words are sometimes used interchangeably, a stretcher is different from a gurney, which is fitted with wheels and can be moved by a single person. Stretchers are more portable and tend to be used in emergency situations, especially on battlefields and in wilderness search-and-rescue operations. When an artist, (rather than a doctor or ambulance driver) uses the word stretcher, they generally mean "wooden frame on which a canvas is stretched for painting."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stretcher stretchers stretchered

An ambulance was called and he was taken away on a stretcher wearing a pelvic brace.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

"We more or less went voluntarily," the former careworker, 63, told AFP at a community centre kitted out with stretcher beds for a handful of evacuees, including herself and husband Ulrich.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

A team of veterinarians rushed to assist the visibly feeble creature, giving him water before carrying him away on a stretcher.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

The family started a GoFundMe page, which has raised £40,000 to cover his flight to Athens and then a specialist flight home to Peterborough City Hospital, during which he had to remain on a stretcher.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Her fingers were loosening as they reached the lift, stepped inside and set the stretcher down.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

AFP journalists at a major hospital on Friday afternoon saw several people, including children, being carried in on stretchers or by their arms and legs.

From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026

Others at Bondi rushed from the beach into the fire, their red-and-yellow lifesaving boards working overtime as stretchers.

From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025

Relatives wept openly, clutching phones and identity cards, while medical teams hurried stretchers through the packed corridors.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025

Footage aired on Al Jazeera showed Palestinian casualties being taken on stretchers in ambulances Saturday morning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2025

I could see the stretchers being wheeled in, and I could see Mrs. Cadaver looking down at them.

From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech

Irish boxer Lee Reeves is in a "critical but stable" condition in hospital after he was stretchered out of the ring in Dublin on Saturday.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

The unused veteran was stretchered off and taken to hospital for surgery after hurting himself hurdling an advertising board in the victory celebrations.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Former Olympic champion Cassie Sharpe was stretchered off the course during the women's halfpipe qualifiers at the Milan-Cortina Games on Thursday after suffering a heavy fall.

From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026

A celebratory evening for the hosts was marred by the sight of England striker Michelle Agyemang being stretchered off after she went down clutching her knee.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025

He was clearly discomforted by the swelling on his foot and had to be stretchered from the field.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2025