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

Due date for individuals and businesses affected by wildfires and straight-line winds in southern California that began on January 7, 2025. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

The perfect flag football player combines that straight-line speed with quickness. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025

The weather service is conducting post-storm surveys to determine which damage was caused by straight-line winds and which by tornadoes. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 June 2025

At his best, Wood is an impactful, straight-line bottom-six winger with tremendous speed, punishing physicality and secondary scoring ability. —Harman Dayal, New York Times, 21 June 2025

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
• byline
• canine

Legal Definition

straight-line

adjective

: marked by equal payments over a given term

using the straight-line method of depreciation