What does the phrase "down the stretch" mean?
Some example sentences are listed below.
1 He played in nine games that season, struggling to establish equilibrium as Seattle faded down the stretch.
2 We didn't play very smart down the stretch, but played good enough to win.
3 And I know some of these situations coming down the stretch hasn't been the most favorable for us.

What does " down the stretch" actually mean in these contexts? Could you help me with that? Thanks.

Question

What does the phrase "down the stretch" mean?
Some example sentences are listed below.
1  He played in nine games that season, struggling to establish equilibrium as Seattle faded down the stretch.
2 We didn't play very smart down the stretch, but played good enough to win.
3  And I know some of these situations coming down the stretch hasn't been the most favorable for us.

What does " down the stretch" actually mean in these contexts? Could you help me with that? Thanks.

Answer

Hello,

In the first two sentences, 'down the stretch' basically means 'towards the end of the game/season'. **This expression is used almost exclusively for referring to sports.
The third sentence sounds a bit strange, and should read (*haven't been the most...), but the meaning is the same.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

Answer

In these contexts, "down the stretch" means "approaching the end" (it's about something happening near the ending or conclusion). It's most commonly used in sports.