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
  • Lawmakers have introduced bills to strengthen prevention programs, improve behavioral health services, regulate sober living environments and give local governments additional tools to respond to homelessness.
    — Ray Bramson, Washington Post, 15 July 2026
  • Chen’s work focuses on using seismological data to improve methods to identify and monitor nuclear tests.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Definition of improve
Verb
  • That includes a bath with breed-appropriate shampoo, a blow-dry and brush-out, a haircut or trim based on breed and preference, nail clipping and filing, ear cleaning and eye area cleaning.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • At 14 songs and 62 minutes, the album would have benefited from trimming three or four of the more generic tunes.
    — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • How is 2026 shaping up to be for film and television in Oklahoma?
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • In Texas, a heated and expensive race has shaped up between Democrat James Talarico, a state representative who is facing Republican Ken Paxton, the state attorney general.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of shape up
Verb
  • Players are responsible for organizing tables and groups; the Senior Center cannot arrange seating or table assignments.
    — Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • According to the psychologist, people who organize their day this way are more likely to complete the tasks that matter most because the brain responds better to specific, achievable goals than to endless to-do lists.
    — Ana Morales, Vogue, 11 July 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • But even if Costco is unable to amend the site’s zoning plan, it’s not guaranteed that the store would remain a wholesale grocer either.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
  • The editors reserve the right to amend any information or remove any listees in light of new information.
    — Phisanu Phromchanya, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of amend
Verb
  • Residents arrange for projectors, audio speakers and power generators, Sikh temples and village community spaces become open-air theaters for an evening, and volunteers spread the word from one household to the next.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • The property’s expert concierge is always a WhatsApp message away and can arrange a menu of experiences at the villas or nearby resort for you—or leave your schedule empty for hours spent by the pool and traversing nearby cliffs and beaches.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • This left open the question of whether more complex, loopy geometries would behave differently, while also leaving competing historical theories yet to be disproved.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
  • Equally noteworthy, but far less known, is the resort’s firm policy on how to handle guests behaving badly.
    — Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • What began as a Christmas gift distribution for farmworker children has now blossomed into an ongoing effort to better the lives of farmworkers by churches in San Jose.
    — Eliana Aguilar, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Second in Austria marked Verstappen’s best result of the season — bettering his third in Canada.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 29 June 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 15 Jul. 2026.

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