straighten (up or out)

verb

Definition of straighten (up or out)next
1
as in to improve
to change one's behavior or character for the better I hope that rehab will help her straighten up for good

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trim
to make neat a directive for everyone to straighten up their cubicle in preparation for a visit from some corporate VIPs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
  1. improve
  2. trim
  3. shape up
  4. organize
  5. amend
  6. arrange
  7. behave
  8. better
Verb
  • Neutrinos bump into other particles only rarely, so scientists build large detectors to improve their odds of catching collisions.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But experts are not optimistic that the additional supply will improve refined product availability and temper prices in the long run.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of improve
Verb
  • San Diego won 4-3 on Tuesday night to avoid elimination and trim Milwaukee’s lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than trimming that weight, Fukushima's lab asked whether anything needed to be worn at all.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • October’s shaping up to be a busy spooky season for the Hot Girl ringleader.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Affordability Given that this election is shaping up to be heavily influenced by voters’ concerns about affordability, both parties have the issue on their agendas but will approach it differently.
    — Daniel J. Mallinson, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of shape up
Verb
  • Nova Mohiuddin, 23, and an organizing member of the UIC student chapter of Chicago Socialist Alternative, was the first to take the mic.
    — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The events, organized by Michigan Jews for Democracy, represent the latest attempt to ease voter concerns over el Sayed, whose views on Israel and association with pro-Palestinian commentator Hasan Piker have drawn intense scrutiny.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • Going forward, the audit asks the Legislature to amend state law to provide clear instruction that prohibits state workers from regularly teleworking outside of California.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But the city’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday amended the map to remove portions of the 3rd District — which is the district the Chiefs and Royals are leaving for their new stadiums.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of amend
Verb
  • The hotel can arrange special things like a in-room Peloton bike or facilitate extra amenities to host a meeting in your suite.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Annals are historical records arranged by year; the clue leverages the entry’s singular form to misdirect us.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • Their primary role has been to assess AI model capabilities and risks and to flag instances where the technology behaves badly.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The snow pile in the parking lot Heat can behave in surprising ways.
    — Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • As a senator, her priorities include supporting economic development, bettering police and community relations, securing funding for educational programs and passing policies for affordable housing, according to her campaign website.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • His hopes for The Situation is to better the experience of other disadvantaged creatives climbing the ranks today.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of better
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.

Browse Nearby Words

straighten (up)
straighten (up or out)
straight-faced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Straighten (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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