straighten (up or out)

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
  • Built on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and 8GB of RAM as the Quest 3, the 3S boasts high-fidelity hand tracking, full-color passthrough and improved thermal efficiency.
    Anna Tingley, Variety, 1 July 2025
  • The law also updates the definition of infertility to be more inclusive and aims to improve access to fertility care for everyone — including members of the LGBTQ+ community.
    Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • There had been rumors that Brown could be traded this offseason, as the Celtics continue to trim a significant amount of money off their books.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
  • The Pacers showed their trademark determination and never quit, trimming the deficit down to 10 points with two-and-a-half minutes left.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • That trade is likely just the beginning of what's shaping up to be a wild few weeks — and things could really kick off tonight during the first round of the NBA Draft.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The layoffs extend what is shaping up as a rough 2025 for the tech industry in the Bay Area.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Organizations that fund long-term capabilities, organize around value streams and empower cross-functional product teams consistently deliver results faster and with greater impact.
    Alex Adamopoulos, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Try MyRecipes, our digital recipe box to stash and organize all your favorite Better Homes & Gardens recipes.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • But a provision tucked inside the Senate Republican bill to enact President Trump's second-term agenda would force the USPS to sell off the brand new trucks and cancel or significantly amend the contract for the remaining 58,800 that are due to be delivered over the next 10 years.
    Tracy J. Wholf June 24, CBS News, 24 June 2025
  • Answer: There is no cash award large enough to amend for the harm done to the people wrongfully incarcerated, their families and their communities.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • An aside: phosphorylation is when a tiny chemical group called a phosphate is added to a protein, such as tau, which is like adding a switch to change how the protein behaves.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 June 2025
  • Yet, but Buyers Are Gaining Power For Hale, the recent shifts in the U.S. housing market signals that the country is moving in favor of buyers—and under certain aspects is already behaving more like a buyer's market than a seller's one.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Attentive staffers will be on hand for towel drops and spritz refills, as well as to help arrange water sports or beach games.
    Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2025
  • Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter has rushed to arrange a commission vote, ratifying it.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Among all attacking midfielders in La Liga, Williams completed 112 high turnovers, a figure bettered only by… Raphinha and Yamal.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • There is one place where F1 deviates from standard tropes and betters itself in the process.
    Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
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 5 Jul. 2025.

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