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

What are the risks and downsides of Japanese hair straightening? — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Automatic border detection finds document edges, while additional tools straighten pages, correct color, remove noise, and recognize text in more than 20 languages. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

Smooth layered hair with hair straightening products, then style with a flat iron for long, lustrous locks. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

Meidroth straightened it out on the next pitch, hitting a three-run home run to left-center. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 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