straighten (up)

verb

Definition of straighten (up)next
as in to tidy (up)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up)
  1. make up
  2. draw up
  3. lay out
Verb
  • According to the Florida Division of Elections, independents make up a large bloc of the electorate.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit make up an enormous share of federal spending.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of make up
Verb
  • Gajdusek eventually drew up a list of eight students, and then decided on the youngest child, a twelve-year-old boy.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The school’s leadership quickly agreed the bulk of the Snap windfall would go into the endowment and a dedicated pool was drawn up to fund retention bonuses for teachers.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of draw up
Verb
  • The proceedings included an FA integrity manager, who allowed Eckert to share his thoughts and lay out what led to Southampton spying on opposing teams and the reasons and context behind his decisions.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Set out cereal bowls, portion out fruit, prep overnight oats or lay out ingredients for a quick egg the night before.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lay out
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

straightens (up or out)
straighten (up)
straighten (up or out)
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Cite this Entry

“Straighten (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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