straightened (out)

verb

past tense of straighten (out)
as in smoothed

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straightened (out)
  1. smoothed
  2. frayed
Verb
  • My father had been a projectionist briefly in the ’50s, and that smoothed my path into the union, which was a very closed union.
    — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The hair at the crown is smoothed back but not slick—in fact, there’s a decent amount of volume up top—with virtually no visible part.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 2 July 2026
Definition of smoothed
Verb
  • Reconstituting the bilateral bond between the two countries, now frayed by more than a year of threats and punitive measures, will not happen overnight.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Moore’s frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks.
    — Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of frayed
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

straightened
straightened (out)
straightened (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Straightened (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightened%20%28out%29. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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