straighten 1 of 2

as in to unbend
to cause to follow a line that is without bends or curls straighten that extension cord—it should be just long enough to reach the wall outlet

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straighten (up or out)

2 of 2

verb (2)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of straighten
Verb
Add the drops: Gently pull the outside of your ear back and up to straighten the ear canal. Sarah Hudgens, Health, 31 July 2025 But surely Rembrandt shared with Spinoza at a minimum the sense that there’s nobody here to straighten things out but us. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 19 July 2025 The project would straighten I-90 where a toll plaza used to be, reconnect Allston with the Charles River waterfront, upgrade the Paul Dudley White Path, see the Allston Viaduct removed, and create an MBTA West Station to provide rail access from central and Western Massachusetts. Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025 The 16-year-old model — whose father is actor Liev Schreiber — also opted for a glowy complexion and wore her blonde hair straightened and parted down the middle. Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for straighten

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Cite this Entry

“Straighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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