straighten up
phrasal verb
straightened up; straightening up; straightens up
1
: to make (something) organized or tidy : to put (something) in order
They straightened up the house after the party.
2
: to move the body to an upright position
Straighten up. There's no excuse for slouching.
3
US
: to improve in behavior
You need to straighten up, young man.
Examples of straighten up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By the end of the day, various things have been straightened up around the house invisibly, but the dining room table is still covered with clutter.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
Loungers can grab them out as needed and quickly toss them in when straightening up the room.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
Microsoft is stepping in to try to straighten up this muddle of conceptually similar, executionally different technologies with a new API called DirectSR (the SR is for Super Resolution).
—Ars Technica, 29 Feb. 2024
Deadlifts involve lifting a weight (typically a barbell) from the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back flat, then straightening up to a standing position.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Nov. 2024
Zoom in: Although prices have been rising modestly all week, oil traders straightened up this morning after President Biden acknowledged the possibility.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024
Auto Frame uses generative AI in a less fun, but arguably more useful, way by automatically cropping, straightening up and realigning an existing photo to better emphasize the subject.
—Paul Monckton, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024
The show followed an Instagram-famous organizing company as its two founders straightened up Reese Witherspoon’s closet and Khloé Kardashian’s garage and Jordana Brewster’s refrigerator, among other cluttered storage areas of the rich and fabulous.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2024
Providing assistance around the house like taking the dog out for a walk or straightening up can also be a big help.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 24 Sep. 2023
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Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 21 May 2025
Loungers can grab them out as needed and quickly toss them in when straightening up the room.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025
Microsoft is stepping in to try to straighten up this muddle of conceptually similar, executionally different technologies with a new API called DirectSR (the SR is for Super Resolution).
—Ars Technica, 29 Feb. 2024
Deadlifts involve lifting a weight (typically a barbell) from the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back flat, then straightening up to a standing position.
—Fred Sassani, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Nov. 2024
Zoom in: Although prices have been rising modestly all week, oil traders straightened up this morning after President Biden acknowledged the possibility.
—Pete Gannon, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024
Auto Frame uses generative AI in a less fun, but arguably more useful, way by automatically cropping, straightening up and realigning an existing photo to better emphasize the subject.
—Paul Monckton, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024
The show followed an Instagram-famous organizing company as its two founders straightened up Reese Witherspoon’s closet and Khloé Kardashian’s garage and Jordana Brewster’s refrigerator, among other cluttered storage areas of the rich and fabulous.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2024
Providing assistance around the house like taking the dog out for a walk or straightening up can also be a big help.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 24 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Straighten up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straighten%20up. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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