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

Relevance

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
  • With the aim of producing an addition 200,000 degrees beyond the 1 million already projected for 2030, the university set goals to improve its graduation rates.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • Given the tools on show in the macOS beta closely match those on iOS, coupled with Apple’s push to unify as many of its operating system features, there will be some cross-platform data to improve this part of Siri AI.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of improve
Verb
  • Even the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are still sitting on a huge haul of future draft capital, had to start trimming their supporting cast this offseason because Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams’ max extensions kicked in.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The pate uses trim such as collars and tails, which are double smoked, much like classic barbecue burnt ends.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • The fall festival season is shaping up fast this week, with announcements imminent from Toronto and New York as well.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • However, this is also shaping up as a beautiful day, despite forecasts predicting rising heat.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 14 July 2026
Definition of shape up
Verb
  • These fatal interactions, fueled by deaths earlier in the year in Minneapolis, pushed protesters to come out and organize against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including in uptown Charlotte.
    — Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • Yermolaiev’s lawyers released a letter this week accusing Ukrainian security services of organizing the explosion, and urging protection for his family.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • The city amended its 2023 agreement with Goldenrod in August 2024 to give the company more time to complete the project.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to amend the filibuster so the party could pass voting rights legislation four years ago, arguing voting rights mattered more than a procedural rule.
    — Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of amend
Verb
  • These icons—including symbols associated with hygiene, nature, science, sustainability, food, and culture—are arranged to form a large letter U, echoing the original corporate logo while also reflecting the company’s commitment to diversity.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
  • According to the court judgment, the pair arranged for employees and associates to drive up bidding prices at auction, inducing the collector, identified under the pseudonym Li Pin, to purchase the items at inflated prices.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • Did the safari animals behave themselves in the presence of such greatness?
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • And some tourists give the rest a bad name by behaving badly, even destructively.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • Defensively, France has also only conceded twice so far – a record bettered only by Spain which has let in one goal.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Workplace Pell expands long-standing education aid to cover shorter term programs that reflect changing demographics and job demands – as well as Americans' desire to better themselves.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 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 24 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All