straightens (up or out)

verb

present tense third-person singular of straighten (up or out)
1
as in improves
to change one's behavior or character for the better I hope that rehab will help her straighten up for good

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trims
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 straightens (up or out)
  1. improves
  2. trims
  3. behaves
  4. amends
  5. reforms
Verb
  • Strawberries also provide manganese, which supports bone health and improves metabolism, along with folate, a B vitamin important for cell growth and DNA formation.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 July 2026
  • By Friday, the forecast improves, with sunny skies and a high near 86 degrees, offering what could be the driest day of the week.
    — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2026
Definition of improves
Verb
  • Spink’s optimism about the growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia comes even as the kingdom trims capital expenditure, cuts some projects, and limits spending on foreign consultants.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
  • Coppola's preferred version of the film, Final Cut, removes or trims a handful of sequences, including the exchange between Willard (Martin Sheen) and the Playboy Playmates, and Kurtz (Marlon Brando) reading from TIME magazine.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Definition of trims
Verb
  • Unlike a felt-tip pen, which delivers a relatively consistent line, a brush liner behaves more like a tiny paintbrush.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 24 July 2026
  • Customers with almost no technical background can collect and label sensor data, run simulations, and validate that a robotic device or vehicle behaves safely in the real world.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of behaves
Verb
  • The measure amends the city's general plan and land use framework to add a citywide ban on data centers, according to city officials.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 4 June 2026
  • The legislation amends the Brown Act to diversify and increase public engagement in meetings of local legislative bodies.
    — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Definition of amends
Verb
  • There’s that churro bread pudding, the one with a junkyard origin story that breaks down the churros and then reforms them into a dense and perfect block as powerful as an Avengers movie prop.
    — Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Kentucky's General Assembly has passed House Bill 2, which reforms the state's Medicaid program.
    — Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of reforms
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

straightens (up)
straightens (up or out)
straighten (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Straightens (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightens%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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