straighten

verb

straight·​en ˈstrā-tᵊn 

straightened; straightening ˈstrāt-niŋ 

ˈstrā-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to make straight

—usually used with out

straightened out his legs

2

: to make neat or tidy

—usually used with up or out

straightened up the room

straightened out the papers

intransitive verb

: to become straight

—usually used with up or out

stopped slouching and straightened up

The river curves and then straightens out.

straightener

ˈstrāt-nər 

ˈstrā-tᵊn-ər

noun

Synonyms of straighten

• unbend
• uncurl

Examples of straighten in a Sentence

He straightened the bent antenna.

The drooping flowers straightened in the rain.

Recent Examples on the Web

Isabelle straightened her spine and folded her hands in her lap. — CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

Certainly, the goal is to straighten the toe and restore proper alignment of the foot. — Richard Moy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

With your legs in a table-top position, straighten one leg, then the other, 20 times. — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026

Push through your feet to straighten your legs and bring your left foot forward to return to standing. — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1525, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing straighten

• straighten out
• straighten up

Rhymes for straighten

• aten
• clayton
• satan
• statin
• creatine

Kids Definition

straighten

verb

straight·​en ˈstrāt-ᵊn 

straightened; straightening ˈstrāt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become straight

—usually used with up or out

straighten up a room

straightened out the problem

straightener

ˈstrāt-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun