straighten out
phrasal verb
straightened out; straightening out; straightens out
1
: to make (something) straight or to become straight
You need to straighten out your legs for this stretch.
The river curves and then straightens out again.
2
: to make (something) organized or tidy : to put (something) in order
He took time to straighten out the papers on his desk.
3
: to deal with (something) successfully
I need more time to straighten out my problems.
4
: to improve in behavior or condition or to cause (someone or something) to improve in behavior or condition
He straightened out after joining the army.
The problem will not straighten out on its own.
You need to straighten your life out.
Her parents sent her to boarding school to straighten her out.
Examples of straighten out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The driver crashed their 2023 Lamborghini Huracan STO as the roadway was straightening out, the spokesperson said, and the luxury vehicle flipped.
—
Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2025
Fed up with their freeloading lifestyles, the brothers' stepfather Foster, who was previously married to their mother Linda Thompson before separating in 2005, force them to get jobs and straighten out their lives.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 29 Apr. 2025
By the end of 2028, crews will replace 15 pedestrian and vehicle bridges, rehabilitate seven more, add a fourth lane to eastbound I-70, and straighten out the two tight turns at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2025
Kennedy says the moves will save taxpayers $1.8 billion and straighten out a department that's been racked with mismanagement and duplicative functions.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straighten out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2025
Fed up with their freeloading lifestyles, the brothers' stepfather Foster, who was previously married to their mother Linda Thompson before separating in 2005, force them to get jobs and straighten out their lives.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 29 Apr. 2025
By the end of 2028, crews will replace 15 pedestrian and vehicle bridges, rehabilitate seven more, add a fourth lane to eastbound I-70, and straighten out the two tight turns at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2025
Kennedy says the moves will save taxpayers $1.8 billion and straighten out a department that's been racked with mismanagement and duplicative functions.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straighten out
Cite this Entry
“Straighten out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straighten%20out. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share