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
-
After four weeks, his strength, sensitivity and coordination had improved, according to Thomas.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2025 -
Houck’s fastball sat 94-96 mph and his slider was notably improved.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
There had been rumors that Brown could be traded this offseason, as the Celtics continue to trim a significant amount of money off their books.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
That 90 gets trimmed to 53 by the start of the season.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
This is shaping up to be a big week for announcements.—
Grace Raynor,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
View gallery - 11 images Eurobike 2025 is really shaping up to be the ultimate launchpad for tiny ebike motors.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
Speaking to me over Zoom, Boyle explains how this smartphone array, organized in a half-circle, lets the director capture complex action scenes from multiple angles at once.—
Jake Kleinman,
Wired News,
20 June 2025
-
The Journal reported a luxury wedding with 200 guests such as Bezos’ costs about $4 million, citing Jamie Simon, director of events at luxury planning firm Banana Split, which organized the multiday wedding between Sofia Richie Grainge and Atlantic Records CEO Elliot Grainge in 2023.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Wilson said amending the city’s sign ordinance to allow digital billboards could also open San Diego up legally to other types of advertising the city has prohibited.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
-
But a provision tucked inside the Senate Republican bill to enact President Trump's second-term agenda would force the USPS to sell off the brand new trucks and cancel or significantly amend the contract for the remaining 58,800 that are due to be delivered over the next 10 years.—
Tracy J. Wholf
June 24,
CBS News,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
An aside: phosphorylation is when a tiny chemical group called a phosphate is added to a protein, such as tau, which is like adding a switch to change how the protein behaves.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 June 2025
-
Yet, but Buyers Are Gaining Power For Hale, the recent shifts in the U.S. housing market signals that the country is moving in favor of buyers—and under certain aspects is already behaving more like a buyer's market than a seller's one.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Attentive staffers will be on hand for towel drops and spritz refills, as well as to help arrange water sports or beach games.—
Cameron Sperance,
Travel + Leisure,
20 June 2025
-
Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter has rushed to arrange a commission vote, ratifying it.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Among all attacking midfielders in La Liga, Williams completed 112 high turnovers, a figure bettered only by… Raphinha and Yamal.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
There is one place where F1 deviates from standard tropes and betters itself in the process.—
Scott Phillips,
Forbes.com,
19 June 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 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share