straighten (up or out)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
Verb
  • The Knicks improved to 4-0 in closeout opportunities this season, winning them all on the road.
    Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
  • Parents and beauty enthusiasts alike praise its ability to smooth stubborn bumps and improve skin texture.
    Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • The Spurs outlasted New York 115-111 in Game 3, trimming the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1 entering Wednesday’s Game 4.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
  • Following a Game 3 loss that trimmed the Knicks' series lead to 2-1, a steady drumbeat of self-criticism emerged from the team's remarks.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • From World Cup soccer to Steven Spielberg’s new space alien movie, this is shaping up as an epic weekend.
    Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
  • Fifteen players have already committed to play, the event announced Thursday, shaping up a field highlighted by three top-10 players, two Grand Slam champions, four Grand Slam finalists and four former DC Open champions.
    Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Michelle Amores, a division manager for the San Jose Public Library who helped organize the celebration, spoke to the community’s enduring spirit.
    Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
  • The Shanghai Remakes event, organized by Spain’s Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), will see each company talk up the Asian market remake potential of their title for 10 minutes.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Michelle Ford, a soil scientist and wildlife biologist who owns EcoMaps, said Silverman over the past two months had addressed her concerns about wetlands protection by amending plans.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
  • Keeth is scheduled to appear in court next Thursday, court records showed, which is when the prosecution will request that the presiding judge amend the charge to vehicular manslaughter.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Songtams' guides can bring you to local temples and arrange cultural experiences to the Yunnan Nationalities Village showcasing ethnic minority cultures like the Yi, Bai, and Dai people.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
  • Jason Momoa, who was born in Hawaii, was photographed helping Lola arrange traditional colorful Hawaiian garlands, the leis, a tribute to her roots.
    Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • By then, OpenAI had rolled out its GPT-4o model, which the lawsuit claims was designed to keep users hooked, and enabled ChatGPT to behave like an unlicensed therapist.
    Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • The risk, Hedin argues, is that organisations begin to sound — and eventually behave — alike.
    Heather Farmbrough, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Good job, well done After 21 years of working to better the village’s economic picture, Sandra Zoellner, Park Forest’s director of economic development and planning, was the center of attention in a farewell tribute last Friday in Village Hall.
    Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
  • Overall, Hungary scored 25 goals in their four matches en route to the final, with Kocsis’ 11 for the tournament only bettered by France’s Just Fontaine’s 13 in 1958.
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 5 June 2026
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 18 Jun. 2026.

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