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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
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At the time of Jaxon’s death, the county was nearing the end of an 18-month corrective action plan aimed at improving oversight and safety within the system.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
20 Apr. 2026 -
The new Lewis House will improve inclusivity and accessibility features supporting people of all physical abilities, genders and cultural practices.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These re-engineerings provide consumers with high-performance chronographs that are trimmed to fit into multiple cases.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Revisions also have trimmed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, a sign that the labor market remains under strain.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jackie Speier would like her former congressional colleagues to zip up and shape up, writes columnist Anita Chabria.—
Vanessa Franko,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
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On a stretch of Howell Mill Road, where tech offices meet a rapidly changing Atlanta skyline, a protest planned for Friday is shaping up to be about far more than a single company.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hope United — a joint effort of the Los Angeles Mission and Hope the Mission — is helping organize the event, which will feature music, giveaways and multiple volunteer shifts.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
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Keep your busy life organized with Cozyla, a smart touchscreen hub designed for the whole family to bring together schedules, routines, chores and meal plans into one easy-to-use display.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Shall Section 1 of Chapter VIII of the Fort Worth City Charter be amended to allow greater flexibility in creating, abolishing, and reorganizing city departments by eliminating the requirement for ordinances to be adopted?—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
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The ordinance amended the Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance enacted in 2022 in an effort to reduce homelessness.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That divide is also showing up in how buyers behave on the ground, says Gerard Splendore, a real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg in New York City.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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The human eye expects weather to behave gradually, with soft edges and transitions.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But these three high school students aren't arranging bouquets in a floral shop.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Some of these are arranged into more staid compositions of geometric bands of color, while others bend and bulge into shapes evoking the baroque ruination of junk-yard findings.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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An open dialogue Brandon Dismel attended the forum to learn how to better the northwest sideof Baltimore, where his family lives.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Rose hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation, a total bettered by just three players in the field on Day 1.—
Justin Ray,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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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 20 Apr. 2026.
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