reach

1 of 2

verb

reached; reaching; reaches

transitive verb

1
a
: to stretch out : extend
b
: thrust
2
a
: to touch or grasp by extending a part of the body (such as a hand) or an object
couldn't reach the apple
b
: to pick up and draw toward one : take
c(1)
: to extend to
the shadow reached the wall
(2)
: to get up to or as far as : come to
your letter reached me yesterday
his voice reached the last rows
they hoped to reach an agreement
d(1)
(2)
: to make an impression on
(3)
: to communicate with
3
: to hand over : pass

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a stretch with or as if with one's hand
b
: to strain after something
2
a
: project, extend
his land reaches to the river
b
: to arrive at or come to something
as far as the eye could reach
3
: to sail on a reach
reachable adjective
reacher noun

reach

2 of 2

noun

1
: a continuous stretch or expanse
especially : a straight portion of a stream or river
2
a(1)
: the action or an act of reaching
(2)
: an individual part of a progression or journey
b(1)
: a reachable distance
within reach
(2)
: ability to reach
had a long reach
c
: an extent or range especially of knowledge or comprehension
3
: a bearing shaft or coupling pole
especially : the rod joining the hind axle to the forward bolster of a wagon
4
: the tack sailed by a ship with the wind coming just forward of the beam or with the wind directly abeam or abaft the beam
5
: echelon, level
usually used in plural
the upper reaches of academia

Examples of reach in a Sentence

Verb She couldn't reach the apple. She was too short. He couldn't reach the apple, even with a stick. She can't reach that far. We reached California after driving for two days. Their land reaches the river. Their land reaches to the river. The phone cord doesn't reach. Noun The ball was just out of reach. Their goal is out of reach. The country's farthest reaches had not been explored. the upper reaches of the business the upper reaches of the river
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Gusts from the west and northwest may reach about the same 25-30 mph levels as Sunday, but for a longer period — from perhaps midmorning until sunset. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 The harmonic convergence reached to those legislating the game, with two umpires from each country. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 This year marks an important milestone as Africa’s representation at the Forum reaches unprecedented levels, with a delegation attending for the first time under the Creation Africa Pavilion. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024 Harvard-Westlake finally reached above .500 (19-18) in its final game, winning a state Division II championship over Colfax in Sacramento, her 839th career coaching victory. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 The rate started to climb the next year, and by 2022, the number of marriages had reached 6.2 per capita and over 2 million in a year, according to the report. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024 The moment of impact: A boom, crunching sounds and pop, pop, pop The group reached South Cotton Lane Bridge, with Brennock toward the end of the B group. The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024 Disneyland may be reaching new heights with future attractions! Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 During my first afternoon with him, Mr. McKenzie reached into a shed and emerged with a stunning carpet python coiled around his arm. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
This type of reach tends to backfire, as 41% of employees report feeling less productive when monitored, according to a Glassdoor survey in 2023. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 Those local startups soon fizzled out, however, unable to match the reach and financial firepower of the American firms, which are flourishing. Diksha Madhok, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 Though unexpected, the move is undeniably a step up in terms of reach and audience; as of this March, Netflix has more than 260 million total subscribers, while Peacock has just over 30 million. Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 Mortgage rates, which were at historic lows just three years ago, have more than doubled, making homeownership more out of reach than ever. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 More drugs won’t make much of a difference if the drugs themselves are out of reach. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 That prospect now looks increasingly out of reach, scholars say. Vivian Nereim, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Grocery stores in upscale parts of the capital remain stocked, but their goods are out of reach to most in a country where most people earn less than $2 a day. Compiled Bydemocrat-Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 But, according to the state PUC’s Public Advocate’s Office, none of these technologies offer the same reach and reliability in an emergency as the humble landline. Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reach.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rechen, from Old English rǣcan; akin to Old High German reichen to reach, Lithuanian raižytis to stretch oneself

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reach was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near reach

Cite this Entry

“Reach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reach. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reach

1 of 2 verb
1
: to stretch out : extend
reached out her arm
2
a
: to touch or move to touch or take by sticking out a part of the body (as the hand) or something held in the hand
couldn't reach the apple, even standing on tiptoes
reached for the catsup
b
: to extend or stretch to
their land reaches the river
c
: to get up to or as far as : come to
your letter reached me yesterday
tried to reach an agreement
d
: to communicate with
tried to reach you by phone
3
: hand entry 2 sense 2, pass
please reach me the salt
reachable adjective
reacher noun

reach

2 of 2 noun
1
: an unbroken stretch (as of a river)
2
a
: the action or an act of reaching
b
: the distance one can reach
kept it in easy reach
c
: ability to stretch so as to touch something
you have a long reach
d
: the ability to reach something as if by using the hands
a new car is beyond our reach right now

Legal Definition

reach

transitive verb
1
: to extend application to
2
: to obtain an interest in or possession of
unable to reach all the assets of the debtor
3
a
: to arrive at and consider
the justices did not reach that issue
b
: to amount to
did not reach a due process violation
reach noun
reachable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on reach

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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