1
as in shaping up
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
2
as in trimming
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 straightening (up or out)
Verb
-
Chris Jaccarini, senior analyst, food and farming at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said 2026 was shaping up to be another year in which conflict and climate risks have become a costly reality.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026 -
Warmer spring weather Friday into the weekend Friday is shaping up to a wonderful day.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Start by trimming the tough, dry ends off the bunch and chop them into little logs.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Get a hedge-and-branch trimming bundle at a huge discount.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Western analysts and officials say Ukraine has in recent months recorded battlefield successes against Russia’s bigger army, disrupting a spring offensive started by Russia amid improving weather, as fields dry out and new foliage on tree lines offers more cover.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Last month, the Senate passed a bill 89-10 aimed at improving housing affordability, following the House of Representatives’ passage of a narrower version earlier this year.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Groups including Greenpeace and the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation are organizing a public class-action lawsuit describing the bill’s passage as a flawed process that dismissed public concerns over water safety.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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These include waking users, preparing breakfast, cleaning rooms, organizing household items, and operating certain appliances.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But such a change would require amending California’s constitution, which would be politically challenging.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The author argues that sheriffs should not have independent authority over ballots and election procedures, and calls for the state legislature to clarify sheriff powers by amending the constitution to make sheriffs appointed rather than elected, similar to police chiefs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But many booth owners take great care on their displays and spend their free time arranging their wares just so.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2026
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Long before Manhattan's iconic street grid took shape, an English widow laid the groundwork for a settlement in Brooklyn, arranging a small village in what would become the United States into one of the first grid patterns.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Straightening (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightening%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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