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.

---

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

---

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

Video shows him being placed on a stretcher.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

The figure was decided upon after factoring in the weight of the rescuer, stretcher and other kit that would add to the combined total.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

But in October, it is being carried out on a stretcher.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026

Abascal, who had limited mobility and other health issues, was carried away from her apartment on a stretcher on Sept. 23 to a Madrid hospital.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

By sunrise, the girls had built a stretcher by tying old pieces of wood and broken branches with torn strips of cloth from a pair of Juanita’s old shorts.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

They came up with the stretchers as yet another way to humanize robots for a wide audience.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

Laid out on makeshift stretchers, they were carried to a nearby ambulance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

The four men were then seen being laid on stretchers, covered by foil blankets, and receiving medical attention.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

The man films as he moves around inside the centre, where more bodies are kept on stretchers as well as the floor.

From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2026

The stretchers are sopping wet by the time the train arrives in the morning.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

It was so hot Nicolas Gonzalez, a fan sitting in the shade of the reserved level, saw a stadium attendant, overcome by heat, stretchered before the game even started.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

Meanwhile, defender Chadi Riad was stretchered off with a serious knee injury in the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 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

The 30-year-old was stretchered from the field of play with his face in his hands.

From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025

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

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---