reach

[ reech ]

verb (used with object)

1. to get to or get as far as in moving, going, traveling, etc.:

   The boat reached the shore.

   Synonyms: attain

2. to come to or arrive at in some course of progress, action, etc.:

   Your letter never reached me.

3. to succeed in touching or seizing with an outstretched hand, a pole, etc.:

   to reach a book on a high shelf.

4. to stretch or hold out; extend:

   reaching out a hand in greeting.

5. to stretch or extend so as to touch or meet:

   The bookcase reaches the ceiling.

6. to establish communication with:

   I called but couldn't reach you.

7. to amount to, as in the sum or total:

   The cost will reach millions.

8. to penetrate to:

   distant stars the eye cannot reach.

9. to succeed in striking or hitting, as with a weapon or missile:

   The artillery fire reached the shore.

10. to succeed in making contact with, influencing, impressing, interesting, convincing, etc.:

    a program that reached a large teenage audience.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a stretch, as with the hand or arm.
2. to become outstretched, as the hand or arm.
3. to make a movement or effort as if to touch or seize something:

   to reach for a weapon.

4. to extend in operation or effect:

   power that reaches throughout the land.

5. to stretch in space; extend in direction, length, distance, etc.:

   a coat reaching to the knee;

   a tower reaching to the skies.

6. to extend or continue in time.
7. to get or come to a specified place, person, condition, etc. (often followed by to ).
8. to amount (often followed by to ):

   sums reaching to a considerable total.

9. to penetrate:

   Fields of flowers extended as far as the eye could reach.

10. to assert or agree without certainty or sufficient evidence; infer hastily:

    I'd be reaching if I said I had the answer to your question.

11. Nautical.
    1. to sail on a reach.
    2. to sail with the wind forward of the beam but so as not to require sailing close-hauled.

noun

1. an act or instance of reaching:

   to make a reach for a gun.

2. the extent or distance of reaching:

   within reach of his voice.

3. range of effective action, power, or capacity.

   Synonyms: scope, sphere, area

4. a continuous stretch or extent of something:

   a reach of woodland.

5. Also called pound. a level portion of a canal, between locks.
6. Nautical. a point of sailing in which the wind is within a few points of the beam, either forward of the beam close reach, directly abeam beam reach, or abaft the beam broad reach.
7. the pole connecting the rear axle of a wagon to the transverse bar or bolster over the front axle supporting the wagon bed.
8. a straight portion of a river between two bends.

reach

/ riːtʃ /

verb

1. tr to arrive at or get to (a place, person, etc) in the course of movement or action

   to reach the office

2. to extend as far as (a point or place)

   to reach the ceiling

   can you reach?

3. tr to come to (a certain condition, stage, or situation)

   to reach the point of starvation

4. intr to extend in influence or operation

   the Roman conquest reached throughout England

5. informal.
   tr to pass or give (something to a person) with the outstretched hand

   to reach someone a book

6. intr; foll by out, for, or after to make a movement (towards), as if to grasp or touch

   to reach for something on a shelf

7. intr; foll by for or after to strive or yearn

   to reach for the impossible

8. tr to make contact or communication with (someone)

   we tried to reach him all day

9. tr to strike, esp in fencing or boxing
10. tr to amount to (a certain sum)

    to reach the five million mark

11. intr nautical to sail on a tack with the wind on or near abeam

noun

1. the act of reaching
2. the extent or distance of reaching

   beyond her reach

   within reach of safety

3. the range of influence, power, jurisdiction, etc
4. an open stretch of water, esp on a river
5. nautical the direction or distance sailed by a vessel on one tack
6. a bar on the rear axle of a vehicle connecting it with some part at the front end
7. television radio the percentage of the population selecting a broadcast programme or channel for more than a specified time during a day or week
8. marketing the proportion of a market that an advertiser hopes to reach at least once in a campaign

Derived Forms

• ˈreacher, noun
• ˈreachable, adjective

Other Words From

• reacha·ble adjective
• reacha·bili·ty noun
• reacher noun
• un·reacha·ble adjective
• un·reached adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reach¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb rechen, Old English rǣcan (cognate with German reichen, Dutch reiken ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of reach¹

Old English rǣcan ; related to Old Frisian rēka , Old High German reihhen

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with reach , also see boardinghouse reach ; get to (reach) first base ; in reach .

Synonym Study

See grasp.

Example Sentences

"Studying ancient DNA lets us reach back in time, tracking evolutionary changes directly in historical populations," said lead researcher Vagheesh Narasimhan, assistant professor of integrative biology and statistics and data sciences at UT Austin.

From Science Daily

The current rule says companies can own broadcast TV stations that reach no more than 39% of U.S. homes.

From Los Angeles Times

She grabs the end of the hose to clean areas she can reach easily.

From NewsForKids.net

Upon reaching a specific pressure threshold, which can be adjusted based on the thickness and composition of the membrane, the membrane opens, enabling the regulated release of excess air.

From Science Daily

In either case, there is a lack of oxygen in the tissues as the blood does not reach them, which can cause a heart attack or a stroke.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• approach
• attain
• contact
• end
• go
• join
• lead
• make
• pass
• stand
• strike

More About Reach

What is a basic definition of reach?

Reach means to arrive at, to extend, or to touch by stretching toward something. Reach has many other senses as a verb and a noun.

If you reach somewhere, you successfully arrive there. If you reached the bank by noon, for example, you managed to get to the bank by noon. The word reach often implies lengthy travel or that the journey had some challenges along the way. Reach can also be used figuratively to mean someone achieved a position or got to a certain state. For example, a child reaches adulthood when they turn 18.

• Real-life examples: The sun’s rays reach the Earth after traveling through space. Baby turtles must navigate the dangers of the beach before they reach the water. Students may need to run quickly to reach the school bus before it leaves.
• Used in a sentence: Lana reached a dark point in her life where nothing seemed to matter. 

Reach can also mean to extend or to stretch out. This sense is often followed with the direction something is being extended into.

• Real-life examples: Plants reach toward the sky to gather more sunlight. You reach your hand out in order to give someone a handshake. A cat’s fur will reach up when they are scared.
• Used in a sentence: The police ordered the criminal to reach his hands into the air. 

Lastly, reach means to successfully touch something, especially by stretching out a limb or object.

• Real-life examples: You might need a ladder in order to reach something stuck on your roof. Giraffes have long necks that make it easy for them to reach leaves high in the trees. Grocery stores put sugary snacks on lower shelves so that children can reach them.
• Used in a sentence: Erin was too short to reach the cereal on the top shelf.

Where does reach come from?

The first records of reach come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English verb rǣcan and is related to other words with the same meaning, such as the German reichen or the Dutch reiken.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to reach?

• reacher (noun)
• reachable (adjective)
• reachability (noun)
• unreachable (adjective)
• unreached (adjective)

What are some synonyms for reach?

• arrive
• come to
• extend
• stretch out
• touch
• contact

What are some words that share a root or word element with reach? 

• in reach
• reach for the sky

What are some words that often get used in discussing reach?

• travel
• journey
• destination
• challenge
• hurry
• height
• length

How is reach used in real life?

Reach is a common word that most often means to arrive somewhere or to stretch out.

We’ve reached the point in winter in South Bend where a 45 degree day feels like 75 ☀️

— Megan Smedley (@Megan_WNDU) January 14, 2021

So far this year is like an itch in that one area of your back you can’t reach and when you finally get to it you accidentally hurt yourself

— Shannon Stirone 💀 (@shannonmstirone) January 3, 2021

A fifteen minute house-wide search for my phone ended abruptly when I reached my hand in my left pocket

— Malcolm Freberg (@MalcolmWHW) June 18, 2014

Try using reach!

Is reach used correctly in the following sentence?

I reached my arm across the table to grab some chips out of the bowl on the far side.