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

Relevance

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

Key Takeaways Kettlebells are versatile tools that can improve lower-body strength, balance, core stability, and functional movement.

— Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2026
Open, consistent walking paths improve mobility without construction.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of improve

Verb

Kane trimmed the deficit to one early in the third with a slick backhand, but Hanifin answered shortly thereafter to restore the two-goal cushion.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
The hair architect responsible for trimming Lawrence’s texture on Tuesday has not yet been revealed.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of trim

Verb

While the ratings and programming landscape has changed dramatically over the intervening decades, this year’s playoffs (starting Tuesday) are shaping up as a back-to-the-future milestone for NBC Sports.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
In the southwestern and central United States, an intense week of weather is shaping up.

— Ben Noll, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of shape up

Verb

Centuries before officers appeared in uniform, posing as neutral criminologists, policing developed as a method of organizing society.

— Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Contact centers had spent decades organizing high volumes of work into queues, tracking outcomes, and building a body of past interactions.

— David Pralong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of organize

Verb

Wicks ultimately voted in favor of the bill after policy implications to housing construction were amended out.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
After warnings from lawmakers about the conflict of interest, Kennedy agreed to amend his ethics agreement to divest his interest to his son.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of amend

Verb

An intelligence report seen by The Associated Press about the meeting identified Kandahar's governor, Mullah Shireen, as the host and claimed that Afghan and Indian intelligence officials helped arrange the meeting.

— MUNIR AHMED, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Rivera and Nuhfer later helped arrange for Sessions to travel to Caracas in 2018 to meet Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

But high bromide content behaves unpredictably during fabrication.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026
The company has since disclosed several additional incidents where its models behaved in unintended ways, prompting industry researchers and government officials to call for additional oversight.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of behave

Verb

As a senator, her priorities include supporting economic development, bettering police and community relations, securing funding for educational programs and passing policies for affordable housing, according to her campaign website.

— Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
His hopes for The Situation is to better the experience of other disadvantaged creatives climbing the ranks today.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Sep. 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

Style

“Straighten (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of straighten (up or out)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tittle

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes