That's a stretch

[0075] Yeah, right

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English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • An expression of sarcastic disbelief or skepticism.
  • Although it literally means yes, correct, the tone and context convey the opposite: I don't believe you at all or That's obviously not true/going to happen.

Origin

  • Uses standard words, but relies entirely on sarcastic intonation and context for its meaning.
  • A long-standing feature of English sarcasm.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Oh, really? (Sarcastic tone)
  • Sure you will/it is. (Sarcastic tone)
  • I'll believe it when I see it.
  • Pull the other one. (UK)
  • As if! (Informal, often younger speakers)
  • In your dreams!

Alternatives

Slang/Informal (Sarcastic/Skeptical):

  • As if!
  • Suuure. (Drawled sarcastically)
  • Okay, pal. (Dismissive)
  • That'll be the day.
  • Pfft. (Sound expressing dismissal/disbelief)

Vulgar/Emphatic (Sarcastic/Dismissive):

  • Yeah, fucking right.
  • Bullshit.
  • Get the fuck outta here. (Can be disbelief or dismissal)

Milder/Standard (Expressing doubt without sarcasm):

  • I doubt that.
  • That seems unlikely.
  • I'm skeptical.
  • Are you sure?

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal.
  • Inherently sarcastic and potentially dismissive or mocking.
  • Can easily sound rude or condescending. Avoid in formal situations or when politeness is important. Best used among friends who understand the sarcastic intent.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • THE BIGGEST WARNING: Non-native speakers (and sometimes even native speakers in text) can easily miss the sarcasm and interpret Yeah, right as genuine agreement. Intonation is key in speech; context and emojis (like 😉 or 🙄) are often needed in text.
  • Without clear sarcastic cues, it causes significant confusion.

Examples

  • Person A: I promise I'll clean my room tomorrow.
  • Person B: (Skeptical tone) Yeah, right.
  • He said he's going to run a marathon without training? / Yeah, right.
  • (Seeing an ad claiming 'Lose 50 pounds in one week!') Yeah, right.

Dialogue

Jake: Don't worry, the traffic won't be bad at 5 PM on a Friday.

Maria: (Skeptical tone) Yeah, right. It's going to be gridlock.

Jake: Okay, you're probably right. We should leave earlier.

Kid: I'll definitely get straight A's this semester!

Sibling: Yeah, right. Like last semester?

Social Media Examples

  • Reply to an outrageous claim: Yeah, right. Got any proof?
  • Comment on an ad with unbelievable promises: Yeah, right lol. #TooGoodToBeTrue
  • Chat response to a friend's unlikely boast: You finished the whole pizza yourself? Yeah right 😉

Response Patterns

  • No, I'm serious! (Defensiveness)
  • Okay, fine, maybe not. (Acknowledging the skepticism)
  • Laughter (If the original statement was indeed unbelievable)
  • Ignoring the sarcasm.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After someone says Yeah, right sarcastically:

  • The conversation might become slightly tense if the original speaker feels mocked.
  • The sarcastic speaker might elaborate on their skepticism (Like that's ever happened before.).
  • Often, the original speaker just drops the unbelievable claim.

Conversation Starter

  • No. It is exclusively a reaction, typically sarcastic, to a statement.

Intonation

  • CRUCIAL for meaning.
  • Typically drawled, with heavy emphasis often on right, and a falling, skeptical, or mocking intonation. YEAH... RIGHT.
  • Can sometimes have a slight, insincere upward lilt on right that sounds fake.
  • Without sarcastic intonation, it means simple agreement (Yeah, right! Let's go!). The sarcastic version is far more common for this specific phrase.

Generation Differences

  • Very common and understood across most generations, although the *delivery* might vary slightly. Younger generations might also use As if! or sarcastic Okay.

Regional Variations

  • Universal in English-speaking regions as a form of sarcasm.
That's a stretch
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