straighten (up or out)

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
Verb
  • Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricanes.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Some areas of Michigan's Great Lakes remained dangerous early Friday, Aug. 29, for beach-goers, with waves up to 6 feet and dangerous currents, but conditions are expected to improve for the three-day Labor Day weekend.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • When to Seek Professional Help Dr. Oliver says that most causes of hair breakage can be treated with the right products, regular hair trims, and minimizing grooming and styling practices that are harsh on strands.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The firm downgraded the Chinese electric vehicle stock to market perform from outperform on Tuesday, and trimmed its price target to $26 per share from $33.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Wednesday was shaping up to be a night Ceddanne Rafaela would have preferred to forget.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Wednesday is shaping up to be a perfect summer day with mostly sunny skies and a high around 75.
    Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • To organize the faith community of Chicago to speak up for and protect human rights and human beings.
    Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Managers, in contrast, are frequently regarded as productivity experts who nurture the organizational structure, establish systems and processes, fulfill the mission statement, uphold quality standards, develop talent, organize teams, and plan budgets.
    Mark LaSota, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • While the team amended the final sales total to 96,633, the final inning generated only a baker’s dozen sold, a mere pittance compared to the rest of the game’s pace.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Instead, the bill as amended would simply delay, by several months, the implemation of a law passed 2024 that is supposed to go into effect next February.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In traditional software, delivery is largely deterministic—what was deployed behaved as built.
    Catherine Iger, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Since the nineties, the Birch Glacier, which covered an area of about fourteen city blocks, had been behaving strangely.
    Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The officer posed as a hit man and met with Kevin Tran, who later arranged for Cuong Tran to provide him with a handgun and payment, according to the records.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Make sure to salt these on both sides, then arrange them on a plate lined with paper towel for about 5-10 minutes so the excess moisture in them drains.
    Grace Kneebone, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The judge said he was moved by the supportive letters from prison guards and was amazed by the work the brothers had accomplished to better the lives of their fellow inmates.
    Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Its mission is to deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 20 Aug. 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.

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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 4 Sep. 2025.

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