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
  • Following Monday night’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers improved to 6-2, tying for second place in the Western Conference.
    Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • One way the company is hoping to improve performance is by lowering the inventory.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Add trimmed and halved fresh green beans, and cook for 8 minutes.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025
  • How dare this newcomer suggest that the towering maple between their properties be trimmed or cut down?
    Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Even better, 2026 is shaping up to be a fantastic time to visit one of the international Disney theme parks.
    Megan duBois, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Throw in an attempt to help part of Illinois secede and join the Hoosier state and visits from everyone from Tucker Carlson to JD Vance, and 2025 has shaped up to be quite a barn burner.
    Hayleigh Colombo, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Divide household items by category, organize them into appropriately sized containers, add labels, and stack them onto shelves in a closet or cabinet that is easily reachable.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2025
  • This larger toiletry bag sports roomy, elastic mesh pockets that can help keep all your original pill bottles secure and organized for travel days.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On Tuesday, New Yorkers voted to pass three housing ballot proposals to amend the city’s charter, streamlining the approvals process for several types of developments.
    Kim Velsey, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Advertisement On the Democratic side, Virginia’s legislature has begun the complicated process of working to amend the state constitution to enable redistricting.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Gabbard denied behaving improperly and suggested the accusations were politically motivated.
    Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Nov. 2025
  • But in the lobby, not everyone behaves well.
    Jessica Neal, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The goal of the program, arranged through the hotel concierge, is to encourage discovery of the soul of an area through bold design, local culture, and meaningful connections.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Insofar as it is left to the invisible hand to arrange these matters, this scenario seems truly unavoidable.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Fleeing crowded Eastern cities, Americans sought to better their lives and, in the process, transformed the young nation.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Even in very difficult circumstances, there was always this feeling of optimism, of belief in being able to better our world.
    Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 22 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.

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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 7 Nov. 2025.

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