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

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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
  • The upgrade focuses on the aircraft’s mission systems, combining new hardware and software to improve situational awareness and reduce the workload on its crew.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But with races like the one in Alaska, the party sees an opportunity to improve its chances.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of improve
Verb
  • Remove dense fuels, trim overhanging branches, and carefully plan your landscaping within 30 feet of homes.
    — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • This relaxed-but-polished organic cotton sweater has a classic crew neckline and ribbed trimming to elevate the look.
    — Kaitlin Marks, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of trim
Verb
  • So, how is Alexander-Arnold’s second season in the Spanish capital shaping up?
    — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Rodriguez, who shares many similarities with Salazar, may shape up to be a formidable opponent given his strong name recognition, said Gamarra, who lives in District 27.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of shape up
Verb
  • The two created The Beautiful Lives Project, a non-profit which has organized events all over the country, pairing sports teams with participants from the project.
    — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.
    — Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • The latest vote takes a key step in a yearslong process to amend the city’s planning, and included potential increases in density in urban areas and additions of parking requirements.
    — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • On August 10, the CFTC amended ElectronX’s designation to permit intermediated trading through futures commission merchants.
    — Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of amend
Verb
  • Palestinians and Lebanese displaced by the 1967 war were joining relatives or acquaintances in Dearborn, and residents arranged food and medical services for the new arrivals.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Solano also arranged for 30 Jackson patients to go to the 14-bed Dulce Hogar ALF on Northwest 26th Avenue between 2016 and the end of 2023.
    — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • Diagnoses of autism, a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people communicate and behave, have increased roughly fivefold over the past couple of decades.
    — Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That adaptability is important because the researchers found that traditional deterministic planning works well when everything behaves exactly as expected.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • His revered mentor, José Antonio Abreu, who founded the educational program in 1975 with the conviction that learning music can, in bettering lives, lead to profound social change.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Asking for feedback is only one step of the process in bettering your organization.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 28 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 22 Aug. 2026.

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