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strait or straight?
Straight and strait are homophones (“one of two or more words pronounced alike but different in meaning or derivation or spelling”), and many people are in the habit of confusing such creatures, particularly when used in fixed phrases. If you express no emotion you have a straight face; an upright person is a straight shooter; a straight flush is “a poker hand containing five cards of the same suit in sequence.” However, if you find yourself in a difficult situation you are in dire straits. Straitjacket and straitlaced are the more commonly used forms for the restrictive garment and the “strict in manners” adjective, although straightjacket and straightlaced are also occasionally found.
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 17 May 2023
Smith's friend Pol' Atteu, who made many dresses for her, says Smith was not straight and not gay.
—Jason Sheeler, Peoplemag, 16 May 2023
Yorkville 28-1 (1) Foxes win third straight conference title but have bigger goals as top seed in sectional.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2023
Northwestern has dominated, winning 18 straight games and outscoring opponents, 324-177.
—Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 15 May 2023
There was Phoenix Mountain Pointe and ASU-signee Jayden Davis pouring it on in the boys 400 for the second straight week, breaking his one-week old state record in 46.25 seconds.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 13 May 2023
Now both the boys and girls teams enter the Class 2A West Regional and states as the presumptive favorites, as both teams have their eyes set on hoisting a second straight state title.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2023
The Lakers lead the series 3-2 and have won eight straight games in their downtown arena, including six since the end of the regular season.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 12 May 2023
The Lions finished 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year, but won eight of their final 10 games (including that season finale against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field) and will enter this fall as the favorites to win the NFC North.
—Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 11 May 2023
People Staff, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023
Zach Pascal has a message for anyone who thinks he’s gone from the penthouse of the NFC as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles straight to the conference outhouse as one of the newest members of the Arizona Cardinals.
—Bob Mcmanaman, The Arizona Republic, 23 May 2023
The rock appeared to have blasted straight through the roof before ricocheting off the floor and back up to the ceiling, leaving dents across the room.
—Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023
That team opened 3-1 and lost two straight after the break, before finishing 12-4 and earning a wild-card spot.
—Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2023
Her baby blue dolphin tank looked straight from our childhood wardrobes.
—Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 10 May 2023
The Rangers play a three-game series at the Mariners starting Monday, then will play four straight at the Oakland Athletics starting Thursday.
—Shawn Mcfarland, Dallas News, 7 May 2023
In Wisconsin — which will also host the Republican Party’s 2024 convention, in Milwaukee — Mr. DeSantis will be walking straight into the heart of Trump country.
—Alexandra Glorioso, New York Times, 6 May 2023
In fact Johnson’s own kitchen island—a cantilevered stone monolith that could have been plucked straight out of OMA’s model shop—was featured front and center in our April 2022 issue.
—Anna Fixsen, ELLE Decor, 5 May 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'straight.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adjective
Middle English streght, straight, from past participle of strecchen to stretch — more at stretch
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing straight
Dictionary Entries Near straight
Cite this Entry
“Straight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straight. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
straight
1 of 2 adjectivestraight
2 of 2 adverb
More from Merriam-Webster on straight
Nglish: Translation of straight for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of straight for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about straight
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