: relating to or being music performed in an unembellished manner typical of a given idiom or performer
broadly : straightforward

Examples of straight-ahead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web View More James, in other words, is anything but a straight-ahead homage to a literary classic. Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 Everybody else back then was pretty much playing straight-ahead blues. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 Two very different sides of ’80s music were on display on Friday night, as Bryan Adams delivered his straight-ahead brand of roots rock and Dave Stewart unpacked the highly stylish Eurythmics songbook at the SAP Center. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2024 Some even used a camera aimed at the driver to discern if drivers were becoming inattentive, including drooping their head or simply averting their view from the straight-ahead. Jim Resnick, Ars Technica, 20 Jan. 2024 At their record release party, they’ll be joined by another band of straight-ahead D.C. punks,Supreme Commander, who are playing their first show in four years. Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2024 Carr leads one of the longest-running straight-ahead jazz jam sessions in Birmingham. Shauna Stuart | Sstuart@al.com, al, 22 Aug. 2023 Then the closer, who takes a straight-ahead approach, attacked Bailey with a 1-1 92.8 mph fastball. Evan Grant, Dallas News, 14 Aug. 2023 The condition is the result of the macula − the part of the eye that controls sharp, straight-ahead vision − being damaged by aging. USA TODAY, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'straight-ahead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of straight-ahead was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near straight-ahead

Cite this Entry

“Straight-ahead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straight-ahead. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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