STRAIGHTEN (UP OR OUT) Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

straighten (up or out)

verb

Definition of straighten (up or out)

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

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

The upgrade focuses on the aircraft’s mission systems, combining new hardware and software to improve situational awareness and reduce the workload on its crew.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026
But with races like the one in Alaska, the party sees an opportunity to improve its chances.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of improve

Verb

So, how is Alexander-Arnold’s second season in the Spanish capital shaping up?

— Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Rodriguez, who shares many similarities with Salazar, may shape up to be a formidable opponent given his strong name recognition, said Gamarra, who lives in District 27.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of shape up

Verb

Those ideas say some people are superior to others, and the inequality that exists in the world around us reflects those innate differences, and inequality is a good thing, and a necessary thing, and the only real way to organize social life.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
The president is organizing a Republican midterm convention in Dallas next month that will serve as much a two-day rally for him as a boon to party candidates nationwide.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of organize

Verb

The latest vote takes a key step in a yearslong process to amend the city’s planning, and included potential increases in density in urban areas and additions of parking requirements.

— Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
On August 10, the CFTC amended ElectronX’s designation to permit intermediated trading through futures commission merchants.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of amend

Verb

Palestinians and Lebanese displaced by the 1967 war were joining relatives or acquaintances in Dearborn, and residents arranged food and medical services for the new arrivals.

— Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Solano also arranged for 30 Jackson patients to go to the 14-bed Dulce Hogar ALF on Northwest 26th Avenue between 2016 and the end of 2023.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

The incident was quickly followed by a slew of other companies reporting instances where AI agents behaved in unexpected ways.

— Tom Matsuda, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
In another part of the study, the research team saw that fat cells behaved differently when drenched with blood collected from the HIIT folks, including changes involved in many genes that regulate fat and whole-body metabolism.

— Will Stone, NPR, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of behave

Verb

His revered mentor, José Antonio Abreu, who founded the educational program in 1975 with the conviction that learning music can, in bettering lives, lead to profound social change.

— Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Asking for feedback is only one step of the process in bettering your organization.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 28 July 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

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“Straighten (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of straighten (up or out)

verb

Example Sentences

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