straight

adjective

\ ˈstrāt

Definition of straight

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : free from curves, bends, angles, or irregularities straight hair straight timber

b : generated by a point moving continuously in the same direction and expressed by a linear equation a straight line the straight segment of a curve

2a : lying along or holding to a direct or proper course or method a straight thinker

b : candid, frank a straight answer

c : coming directly from a trustworthy source a straight tip on the horses

d(1) : having the elements in an order the straight sequence of events

(2) : consecutive 12 straight days

e : having the cylinders arranged in a single straight line a straight 8-cylinder engine

f : plumb, vertical the picture isn't quite straight

3a : exhibiting honesty and fairness straight dealing

b : properly ordered or arranged set the kitchen straight set us straight on that issue also : correct get the facts straight

c : free from extraneous matter : unmixed straight whiskey

d : marked by no exceptions or deviations in support of a principle or party votes a straight Democratic ticket

e : having a fixed price for each regardless of the number sold

f : not deviating from an indicated pattern writes straight humor a straight-A student

g(1) : exhibiting no deviation from what is established or accepted as usual, normal, or proper : conventional also : square sense 5f

(2) : not using or under the influence of drugs or alcohol

h : heterosexual

4 : being the only form of remuneration on straight commission

straight

adverb

Definition of straight (Entry 2 of 4)

: in a straight manner came straight home from work

straight

verb

straighted; straighting; straights

Definition of straight (Entry 3 of 4)

transitive verb

chiefly Scotland

: straighten

straight

noun

Definition of straight (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : something that is straight: such as

a : a straight line or arrangement

b : straightaway especially : homestretch

c : a true or honest report or course

2a : a sequence (as of shots, strokes, or moves) resulting in a perfect score in a game or contest

b : first place at the finish of a horse race : win

3 : a poker hand containing five cards in sequence but not of the same suit — see poker illustration

4 : a person who adheres to conventional attitudes and mores

Other Words from straight Synonyms & Antonyms strait or straight? More Example Sentences Learn More about straight

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Synonyms & Antonyms for straight

Synonyms: Adjective

direct, linear, right, straightaway, straightforward

Synonyms: Adverb

dead, direct, directly, due, plumb, plump, right, straightway

Antonyms: Adverb

indirectly

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.

Examples of straight in a Sentence

Adjective

She has long, straight hair. The flagpole is perfectly straight. The picture isn't quite straight. We sat in the airport for five straight hours.

Adverb

She walked straight up to him and slapped him in the face. The tunnel goes straight through the mountain. The library is straight ahead. He was so drunk he couldn't walk straight. She sat with her legs straight out. The tree fell straight down. The car went straight off the road. She told him straight to his face that she hated him. Pine trees stood straight along the path. Sit up straight and don't slouch.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Think about keeping your core braced and your back in one long, straight line. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "Work Your Core and Upper Body With This 5-Move TRX Circuit From Celebrity Trainer Jeanette Jenkins," 4 Apr. 2019 The foyer, which originally offered a straight line of sight into the back of the house, was reconfigured to provide a bit more privacy, while a coat closet, bar and powder room took the place of the old kitchen. — Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, "See How Designer Chantal Lamberto Family-Proofs A 1905 San Francisco Home," 24 Jan. 2019 Shoppers can ship their essentials either in advance to their home, to an Amazon pickup point, or — and this is the coolest part — straight to an Amazon locker located inside the gates of Coachella. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Amazon Just Made Shopping for Coachella Way Easier With Its First Festival-Inspired Storefront," 27 Mar. 2019 Even with huge new contracts for Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado, Major League Baseball’s average salary is on track to drop on opening day for an unprecedented second straight season, according to projections by The Associated Press. — Ronald Blum, The Seattle Times, "AP study: MLB average salary on track for 2nd straight drop," 26 Mar. 2019 That’s impressive enough, but the top-of-the-line S10+ goes even bigger, jumping straight past 10GB of RAM to an unheard-of 12GB, almost as much as the 15-inch MacBook Pro. — Michael Simon, PCWorld, "10 Samsung Galaxy S10, S10e, and S10+ features that actually surprised us," 20 Feb. 2019 Her makeup — thin eye liner and silvery shadow — is straight out of the '80s, while the nudie brown lip is giving us more of a '90s vibe. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Chrissy Teigen’s New Bob Is Giving Us Scarface Vibes," 18 Mar. 2019 Your core, butt, and quads should be tight, and your back should be straight (not arched or rounded). — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "All You Need Is a Pair of Socks to Do This 15-Minute Total-Body Workout From Carrie Underwood’s Trainer," 13 Dec. 2018 Not to mention the pool flanked by a landscape straight out of a Bob Ross painting. — Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, "Where to Stay, Eat, and Drink in Washington Depot, Connecticut," 12 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

For punk-rock apparel by Colombia’s top indie designers, head straight to La Rock n Rola. — Michaela Trimble, Vogue, "An Insider’s Guide to Chapinero Alto, the Williamsburg of Bogotá," 12 Apr. 2019 In 1987, the animated series spawned a movie, but it was released straight to video after the poor box-office performances of The Transformers and My Little Pony movies. — Maude Campbell, Popular Mechanics, "Yo, Joe: How a 12-Inch Soldier Doll Became a Toy Legend," 9 Apr. 2019 So do whatever keeps your spine straight and back flat—that means both your lower and upper back. — Amy Marturana, SELF, "18 Lunge Variations That Will Work Your Butt From Every Angle," 5 Apr. 2019 But women who took four or more years off work made 65 percent less than women who never took time out; men who took the same amount of time, meanwhile, made 57 percent less than men who worked straight through. — Anna North, Vox, "You’ve heard that women make 80 cents to men’s dollar. It’s much worse than that.," 2 Apr. 2019 Williams caught a pass left of the key and dribbled straight into Fall’s 7-6, 310-pound frame. — Pete Iacobelli, The Seattle Times, "Williamson, Duke survive UCF’s late misses, reach Sweet 16," 25 Mar. 2019 Anyone near the center who hopes to get a good view of the back straight also builds wooden decks on top of their vehicles, hoping to get just a few inches higher than their neighbors. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "One Day at Daytona," 22 Mar. 2019 Stylist Stacy Ho blew it out straight and trimmed it into a bob with slight layers for movement. — Elizabeth Denton, Allure, "Virtue's New Protein Powder Made My Damaged, Color-Treated Hair Look Like New," 19 Mar. 2019 Forget jeans or red carpet sneakers: Carson brought out her glam squad of stylist Nicolas Bru, hair stylist Caile Noble, and makeup artist Karan Mitchell and headed straight for the gowns. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Inside the Premiere of the Pretty Little Liars Sequel With Sofia Carson," 18 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'straight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of straight

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

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Learn More about straight

Dictionary Entries near straight

Statistics for straight

Last Updated

21 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for straight

The first known use of straight was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for straight

straight

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of straight

(Entry 1 of 3)

: not having curves, bends, or angles

: vertical or level

: following one after the other in order : following each other without interruption

straight

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of straight (Entry 2 of 3)

: in a straight or direct way

: in or into a vertical position

: without any delay : directly or immediately

straight

noun

English Language Learners Definition of straight (Entry 3 of 3)

: a straight part of a racecourse

: a hand of playing cards in poker that contains five cards in sequence (such as a five, a six, a seven, an eight, and a nine)

See the full definition for straight in the English Language Learners Dictionary

straight

adjective

\ ˈstrāt

straighter; straightest

Kids Definition of straight

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : following the same direction throughout its length : not having curves, bends, or angles a straight line

2 : being perfectly vertical or horizontal Does the flagpole look straight?

3 : following one after the other in order We worked for five straight hours.

4 : not changing from an indicated pattern I got straight A's on my report card.

5 : not straying from what is right or honest a straight answer

6 : correctly ordered or arranged We set the kitchen straight.

7 : correct entry 2 sense 1 Let's get the facts straight.

8 : not showing any feeling especially of amusement a straight face

straight

adverb

Kids Definition of straight (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : without delay or hesitation I came straight home.

2 : in a direct and uninterrupted course : without turning or curving aside The library is straight ahead. Skye looked into the closet and straight through into another bedroom …— Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks

3 : in or into an upright position stand straight

4 : without interruption They have been working for three days straight.

5 : in a normal or correct way I can't think straight.