Outstretched means extended or stretched out as far as possible. When you reach with outstretched arms to catch a football, your arms are fully extended away from your body. When a cat wakes from a nap with outstretched paws, its legs are stretched out long in front of it.

The word paints a picture of something reaching outward to its full length. A person might lie in the grass with outstretched limbs, arms and legs spread wide. A teacher calling on students might scan the room for outstretched hands, each student stretching their arm up high hoping to be chosen.

Outstretched often appears in moments of effort or intention: a goalkeeper diving with outstretched fingers to block a shot, or someone greeting a friend with outstretched arms ready for a hug. The word suggests both the physical act of extending and the purpose behind it, whether reaching for something, offering welcome, or trying to span a distance.