straighten

verb

straight·​en ˈstrā-tᵊn 

straightened; straightening ˈstrāt-niŋ 

ˈstrā-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to make straight

—usually used with out

straightened out his legs

2

: to make neat or tidy

—usually used with up or out

straightened up the room

straightened out the papers

intransitive verb

: to become straight

—usually used with up or out

stopped slouching and straightened up

The river curves and then straightens out.

straightener

ˈstrāt-nər 

ˈstrā-tᵊn-ər

noun

Synonyms of straighten

• unbend
• uncurl

Examples of straighten in a Sentence

He straightened the bent antenna.

The drooping flowers straightened in the rain.

Recent Examples on the Web

Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control. —Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2026

Slowly lower your right arm overhead toward the floor while simultaneously straightening and lowering your left leg a few inches (perform the movement slowly and controlled). —Jakob Roze, Health, 1 Apr. 2026

All told, 155 miles of winding river were straightened down to 88 miles by the project’s completion. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 30 Mar. 2026

Double-digit stripers have twice straightened at least two treble hook prongs on Bomber stickbaits. —Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1525, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing straighten

• straighten out
• straighten up

Rhymes for straighten

• aten
• clayton
• satan
• statin
• creatine

Kids Definition

straighten

verb

straight·​en ˈstrāt-ᵊn 

straightened; straightening ˈstrāt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become straight

—usually used with up or out

straighten up a room

straightened out the problem

straightener

ˈstrāt-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun