straighten (up or out)

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
Verb
  • About a decade ago, a group of competitive CrossFitters in Charleston, South Carolina, went looking for ways to improve their athletic performance without taking steroids.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Money would help improve services for pets and residents.
    Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Get a hedge-and-branch trimming bundle at a huge discount.
    Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Airlines are responding cautiously, trimming schedules and adjusting prices in ways that experts say will ripple unevenly across the market but ultimately affect nearly every type of traveler.
    Rio Yamat, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chris Jaccarini, senior analyst, food and farming at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said 2026 was shaping up to be another year in which conflict and climate risks have become a costly reality.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Coelho suggested Monday that the city make no decision on the sidewalks until plans shape up for the site of the former Encina power plant just north of Cannon.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Below is a recap of the C-suite developments at America’s highest-revenue-generating companies announced between April 4–10, 2026, organized by sector.
    Fortune Editors, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Join MyRecipes—your personal home for recipes—to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place.
    Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • However, after facing opposition, the bill was amended so that any disciplinary decisions would be handled at the local school level.
    Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • There has not been an active military draft since 1973, and returning to one would require Congress to amend the Military Selective Service Act, according to SSS.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This is largely due to how bodily fluids behave and realign in microgravity, which frequently causes swelling in the nasal passages.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Apparently, Trick had been warned about keeping the show PG-13 and to behave beforehand, but blew off the memo.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rx bars were fanned out on a silver platter, Lean Body shakes dotted the table, cups of Chobani were arranged in a pyramid.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Hence the social contract on which proto-citizens situated behind the veil of ignorance would agree, arranges social and economic inequalities in such a manner as to make the worst off as well off as possible; economic policies would benefit the well-being of the least advantaged.
    George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Across La Liga, that is only bettered by six other players (among those to have played a minimum of 1,000 minutes).
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Yeboah bettered that in the 67th minute, taking advantage of another defensive breakdown to poke a pass from Tomás Chancalay at the left post past Marcinkowski.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
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 11 Apr. 2026.

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