straighten (up or out)

verb

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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)
  1. improve
  2. trim
  3. shape up
  4. organize
  5. amend
  6. arrange
  7. behave
  8. better
Verb
  • At 28 years old, the sizeable outlay on the Brazilian midfielder continues Arsenal’s ploy of spending big money on players who can immediately improve their first team.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Some activists remain positive that more staffers at shelters will improve conditions, but others argue the money should go straight to the animals through food, enrichment and supplies instead of wages.
    — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of improve
Verb
  • Use sharp tools to trim blooms close to the stalk and avoid cutting off buds.
    — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Haskell's team is also staying high in quality and coupons, trimming lower-coupon exposures in favor of those that are upward of 5% that the firm thinks are better poised to handle periods of market uncertainty.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • Below are Maxwell’s projections and a brief look at how Class 3A shapes up in 2026.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Roughly 85% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their results and overall earnings growth for the period is shaping up to be the strongest since 2021.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of shape up
Verb
  • Store Craft Supplies Keep beads, paint brushes, and other craft supplies organized by storing them in their own upcycled candle jars with a small label if desired.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Draft the email, organize notes, or give yourself space to think before a professional conversation.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • The legislation would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to create federal photo ID standards for in-person and vote-by-mail.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In her new ruling obtained by Rolling Stone, the judge said Evans appeared to have been angered by Voletta’s decision, just weeks before her death, to amend her trust and remove CJ as a co-trustee.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of amend
Verb
  • Bike rentals and a range of experiences can be arranged, including wine tasting and artisan workshops.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Tae-ha uses his own contacts to arrange a boat to Japan for Eun-sae a month later.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • Driscoll and others involved in the mission worried that something far less dramatic could derail it, such as an accidental weapon discharge, an isolated confrontation with a protester or a guardsman caught on camera behaving poorly.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This is a mass disabling event, concentrated in working-age people and skewed female, behaving exactly as post-viral illness always has.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • Asking for feedback is only one step of the process in bettering your organization.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Gogel rose 12 places with his 7-under 63, bettered only by Scotland's Stephen Gallacher in fifth with an 8-under 62, which included nine birdies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 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
See all Nearby Words

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 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All