1
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)
Verb
-
Key Takeaways Drinking carrot and ginger juice daily may improve digestion, immunity, skin health, and heart function.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
14 Oct. 2025 -
The pose can help improve your circulation, which can decrease swelling and inflammation, Robert Saper, an integrative medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic, told the hospital’s blog in 2021.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Royal Navy crew achieved the major milestone as part of HMS Agamemnon’s ‘trim dive’, a three-day period of testing in the town’s Devonshire Dock to prove the attack vessel’s stability and safety.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Brockman electrocuted while trimming trees On the day he was electrocuted, Brockman and his work crew were removing limbs that were close to Evergy power lines, the lawsuit said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Arkansas’ best offense in a decade is being wasted by a defense that is shaping up to be one of the worst in program history.—
Matt Jones,
Arkansas Online,
19 Oct. 2025
-
While most of the squad have returned to their various European clubs, the select J-League representatives return home to play their part in the climax of what is shaping up to be another thrilling title fight.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While the schoolyard is in progress, the school’s environmental specialist and garden coordinator are getting students outside, growing plants and on field trips, while organizing curriculum with an environmental focus.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
-
One was a 19-year-old university student from Kharkiv named Anna Kovalenko, who recently organized a series of musical and artistic gatherings called Imagination Space that drew hundreds of participants.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The delay follows a month of deliberations after the city council suspended the ordinance to amend it to remove diversity, equity and inclusion language.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Oct. 2025
-
It was later amended to include more than 30 federal agencies.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Patrick addressed the tension between his team and the Lions after the game, taking a slight jab at the way Detroit behaves on the field.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
-
This means that even a very small number of malicious files inserted into training data can teach a model to behave in unexpected or harmful ways when triggered by a specific phrase or pattern.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a feat of logistics, the production miraculously arranged the shooting schedule so that every principal actor’s final scene on the show was also their last day of filming — something the Duffers have been freshly reliving again and again in the edit bay.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
-
However, for years, police suspected that Charles arranged the murder of Markel.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Studies that compare genetic variation between pairs of siblings have been able to better control for socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as parenting practices and ethnicities; in these studies, the direct effects of DNA on IQ look even smaller, still with no hint of a biological mechanism.—
Eric Turkheimer,
The Atlantic,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Meanwhile, majorities said the Republican president has definitely or probably not improved the functioning of government (59%) or bettered the nation’s standing on the world stage (60%).—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
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.
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 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share