as in unbends
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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Recent Examples of straightens
Her posture straightens, her breathing evens.
—
Reylee Billingsley, AZCentral.com, 7 Feb. 2026
As the child grows, the tether straightens the curve by slowing growth on one side of the spine and promoting growth on the other.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 4 Dec. 2025
No rest for the weary (or, in her case, the never-worn), Maxine straightens her unblemished aqua blue attire, hustles her heeled feet over to the receiver, and picks up a fresh piece of gossip — gossip that sends her scurrying back out on her next errand.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Entertainers tend to bend memory to their advantage; Margolick, contemptuous of myth, straightens the record, especially the legends spun by Mel Brooks, Caesar’s protégé.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Just before touching down, DART performs a pitch-leveling maneuver, which straightens its flight angle and ensures all four legs make even contact.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
Thanks to multiple attachments, the tool dries, curls, smooths and straightens hair without causing too much heat damage.
—Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Reylee Billingsley, AZCentral.com, 7 Feb. 2026
As the child grows, the tether straightens the curve by slowing growth on one side of the spine and promoting growth on the other.
—Kate Snow, NBC news, 4 Dec. 2025
No rest for the weary (or, in her case, the never-worn), Maxine straightens her unblemished aqua blue attire, hustles her heeled feet over to the receiver, and picks up a fresh piece of gossip — gossip that sends her scurrying back out on her next errand.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Entertainers tend to bend memory to their advantage; Margolick, contemptuous of myth, straightens the record, especially the legends spun by Mel Brooks, Caesar’s protégé.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Just before touching down, DART performs a pitch-leveling maneuver, which straightens its flight angle and ensures all four legs make even contact.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
Thanks to multiple attachments, the tool dries, curls, smooths and straightens hair without causing too much heat damage.
—Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straightens
unwinds
Verb
-
Such events often reflect leverage unwinds rather than fundamental shifts.—
Alice Liu,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Below, Usher gives AD a peek into his life in Atlanta, dad duties, and how a hitmaker unwinds at home.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Straightens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightens. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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