straight-line

adjective

ˈstrāt-ˈlīn 

1

: being a mechanical linkage or equivalent device designed to produce or copy motion in a straight line

2

: having the principal parts arranged in a straight line

3

: marked by a uniform spread and especially in equal segments over a given term

straight-line amortization

straight-line depreciation

4

: occurring, measured, or made in or along a straight line

straight-line motion

straight-line extrapolation

Examples of straight-line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Trees and power lines were knocked down by severe straight-line winds. —Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 13 June 2026

Northern Illinois also saw flooding as a result of heavy rainfall, with parts of the Chicago metro area seeing areas of strong straight-line wind damage. —Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 12 June 2026

The straight-line distance between Indianapolis and Zinacantán is around 1,640 miles. —Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 12 June 2026

The storms are then expected to grow more widespread into clusters or a line, at which point the primary risks will shift more toward damaging straight-line winds and heavy downpours that could lead to flash flooding. —Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for straight-line

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• brucine
• byline

Legal Definition

straight-line

adjective

: marked by equal payments over a given term

using the straight-line method of depreciation