To reach means to stretch out your arm or body to touch or grab something. When you reach for a book on a high shelf, you extend your arm upward, maybe standing on your tiptoes to get there. When you can't quite reach the cookies on the counter, you might need to climb on a stool or ask someone taller for help.

The word also means to arrive at a place or achieve a goal. A letter might reach your grandmother in three days. A runner reaches the finish line after a long race. Scientists work for years to reach new discoveries. When you've been practicing piano, you might finally reach the point where you can play a difficult piece smoothly.

Reach can also be a noun meaning how far something extends or influences. A radio station's reach describes how far its signal travels. A long-armed basketball player has greater reach than a shorter player, giving them an advantage when blocking shots or grabbing rebounds.

The phrase out of reach means something is too far away to get, either physically (like a balloon that floated to the ceiling) or in terms of ability (like a goal that's currently beyond your skill level). When something is within reach, you're close enough to grab it or achieve it with the effort you're capable of making.