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
-
Season 3 does not appear to be shaping up all that much better, as of yet.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026 -
Otherwise, the weekend is shaping up to be beautiful.—
Andrew Kozak,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Crews are focusing on the 15 feet along the roadsides, trimming trees that are still alive to help prevent fire from laddering into the crowns and removing dead trees.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
-
While some varieties will rebloom without deadheading, trimming fading flowers keeps the flower bed from looking tired.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
For more than 75 years, a strong partnership between universities and the federal government has made this leadership possible—fueling innovation, strengthening our economy and improving the human condition.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
-
The foundation aims to find new ways to expand today’s tent of philanthropists dedicated to improving their surrounding areas.—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Talent agencies are organizing around the same principle.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Tiny bulging eyes form long before the animal resembles a shark at all and its future face exists only as clusters of migrating cells, slowly organizing themselves into the structures that will eventually become jaws, cartilage and sensory organs.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Disparate impact also lives under the Fair Housing Act, a separate law the Bureau cannot rewrite by amending Regulation B.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Michelle Ford, a soil scientist and wildlife biologist who owns EcoMaps, said Silverman over the past two months had addressed her concerns about wetlands protection by amending plans.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Angelina Guatemala, 64, counted on federal food stamps after retiring a couple of years ago in Ogden, Kansas, from assorted jobs arranging flowers, decorating cakes in shops, and preparing meals.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Let the flowers rest in the bucket of water for an hour to rehydrate fully before arranging them.—
Viveka Neveln,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 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 22 Jun. 2026.
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