reach

REECH/ɹiːt͡ʃ/

Verbreaches, reaching, reached

Noun pluralreaches

25 meanings of reach

Practice

1
come to placeverbtransitive or intransitive
To get to a place you were going to. Some speakers also just say 'when we reached' to mean 'when we arrived'.
Like a letter finally arriving at the right mailbox.
They always reach home before sunset on weekdays.
We reached the cabin safely after the storm passed.
UsageSay reach the hotel, with no word in between.
Similararrive, make
Oppositeleave, depart
Note
2
contact by phoneverbfigurativelytransitive
To get in touch with someone, such as by phone or message.
Like throwing a rope to someone and feeling them catch the other end.
I tried to reach my sister all weekend but her phone was off.
You can reach the office by email during business hours.
UsageSay reach someone at a number or by email.
Similarcontact
3
extend farverbintransitive
To stretch out far in space or time.
Like a road that goes on and on into the distance.
These fields reach as far as the eye can see.
The meeting reached well into the evening.
UsageSay reach into, reach back or reach as far as.
Similarextend, stretch, run
Note
4
range of powernouncountable or uncountable
How far someone's power or influence can spread.
Like how far the light from a lamp can spread in a dark room.
The company's reach now covers most of the country.
Such crimes are beyond the reach of local police.
UsageSay global reach, or beyond the reach of the police.
Similarinfluence, scope, range, sway, power
Note
5
touch by stretchingverbtransitive
To get or touch something by stretching out your hand or arm.
Like using a long stick to touch something far away.
She had to stand on a chair to reach the top shelf.
He reached the remote without getting up from the couch.
UsageReach the shelf: you touch it. Reach for it: you try.
Similarget, touch, grasp
6
stretch out armverbintransitive
To stretch out your arm or hand toward something.
Like stretching out your arm to wave at a friend.
Reach into the drawer and you'll find a pen.
She reached under the seat for her bag.
UsageSay reach for something you want.
Similarstretch, extend, lean
Note
7
connect emotionallyverbfigurativelytransitive
To connect with someone's feelings so they listen and understand.
Like finding the right key that finally opens a locked door.
The teacher finally reached the shy student after weeks of trying.
Good stories can reach people in a way facts cannot.
Similartouch, move, affect
8
get as far asverbtransitive
To go or stretch far enough to touch, hit, or get into something.
Like water soaking down until it touches the seeds in the soil.
Rumors like that reach every corner of the office within hours.
The cold reached his very bones that night.
Similartouch, penetrate, hit, strike
Note
9
live to (age)verbtransitive
To live until you are a certain age.
Like a clock that keeps ticking up to a certain hour.
Many people now reach their nineties in good health.
Her grandfather reached ninety last spring.
UsageSay she reached ninety.
Similarattain, hit
10
arm lengthnoununcountable
How far you can stretch your arm to touch, hold, or hit something.
Like how far you can lean out to grab something without falling.
Her long reach let her grab the box without using a stool.
The cup was just out of her reach.
UsageSay out of reach or within reach.
Similargrasp, range
Note
11
come to (decision)verbtransitive
To get to a certain level or stage, or to come to an agreement or decision.
The jury needed two days to reach a verdict.
Temperatures reached 100 degrees by lunchtime.
Similarachieve, attain, strike
Note

Less common meanings

12
hand oververbtransitive
To pass or hand something to someone.
Like passing a plate of food to someone at the dinner table.
Could you reach me the salt, please?
She reached him the towel from the rack.
UsageSay reach me the salt, like pass me the salt.
Similarhand, pass, give
13
try too hardverbintransitive
To try very hard to get or do something, often without success.
Like jumping to grab a branch that's just too high.
Sometimes you reach for a dream and still fall short.
She kept reaching for praise she hadn't earned.
UsageYou're reaching means you are trying too hard.
Similarstrain, overreach, strive, stretch
Note
14
exaggerationnouncolloquialcountable
A guess or claim that goes too far beyond what the facts show.
Like stretching a short blanket to cover a whole bed: it just doesn't fit.
Saying he's the best player ever is a real reach.
That excuse felt like a reach to everyone in the room.
UsageSay an idea is a bit of a reach.
Similarstretch
15
act of stretchingnouncountable
An act of stretching out your arm or body to touch or get something.
Like stretching your arm out as far as you can to grab something.
She made a quick reach for the top shelf.
With one big reach, he grabbed the falling cup.
Similarstretch, lunge
16
point of sailnouncountable
A way of sailing when the wind blows from the side of the boat.
Like turning your sail to catch wind that pushes from the side.
On a beam reach, the boat picked up speed nicely.
She trimmed the sails for a broad reach.
Note
17
sail (side wind)verbintransitive
To sail with the wind coming from the side of the boat.
Like a kite that flies fast when the wind hits it sideways.
Small boats reach easily when the wind blows from the side.
We reached along the coast all afternoon.
Note
18
verbobsolete
To understand or grasp the meaning of something.
Do what, sir? I reach you not.
1612, Gregorian calendar; published 1619), Francis BeaumontHere, reach means to understand or follow what someone means.
Note
19
nounobsolete
A clever trick used to gain an advantage over someone.
The Duke of Parma had particular reaches and ends of his own, under hand, to cross the design.
a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine.”Here, reaches means clever tricks or schemes to gain an advantage.
Note
20
noun
A long stretch of land or water, especially one part of a river or canal.
21
noundated
The distance a sailing boat travels between two turns into the wind.
22
noun
A long pole that joins the back axle of a wagon to its front part.
23
verbobsolete
To gag as if about to throw up.
24
nounobsolete
The act of nearly throwing up.
25
noun
In Japanese mahjong, saying you need one tile to win, or in pachinko, needing one symbol more.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of reach apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From an Old English word rǣċan meaning "to reach." It goes back through Proto-Germanic to an old root meaning "to stretch out, reach."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Reach derives from Old English rǣċan, meaning 'to reach'. en.wiktionary.org
The ancestry passes through Proto-Germanic. en.wiktionary.org
The relevant reconstructed root means 'to stretch out, reach'. Although Wiktionary's reach entry combines the glosses, its root entry separates 'to bind' under another etymology. en.wiktionary.org