How to Use straight-ahead in a Sentence

straight-ahead

adjective
  • Legette is off to a disappointing start, but has good straight-ahead speed.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The menu is straight-ahead diner fare, well executed with oversized portions.
    — Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • But the attention has died down as the program has settled into being a straight-ahead newscast.
    — Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Like Gauff, Steffi Graf had otherworldly straight-ahead speed.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Those beats are equally in flux, switching between straight-ahead techno and the funky but lead-footed stomp of guaracha, adding to the disorientation.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 1 July 2026
  • The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has a bullish, straight-ahead style that serves him well in slamming through the line or getting free into the open field.
    — Bernie Wilson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The singer went on to release eight more albums during a career, jumping from reggae, to traditional Irish songs and fairly straight-ahead pop.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Aug. 2025
  • For entrees, the Spice steak is a straight-ahead option, steak frites (+$10), four or five medallions of tender hangar steak with a peppery-bold au poivre sauce and crisp fries.
    — Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Spud led in points after two rounds with a repertoire that included 360-degree jams; a reverse double-pump; a straight-ahead double, and a jackknife.
    — Kevin Sherrington feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Before that eclipse happened — and a few years before Bartell Hotels got involved —Humphreys Concerts began in 1982 as a straight-ahead jazz series booked by Rob Hagey, the founder of the San Diego Jazz Festival.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'straight-ahead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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