STRAIGHTEN (UP OR OUT) Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

straighten (up or out)

verb

Definition of straighten (up or out)

as in to improve

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

as in to trim

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 straighten (up or out)

Verb

Parties that likely would support Eisenkot have vowed to improve Israel's international standing and work to conscript ultra-Orthodox men while bolstering the independence of the judiciary.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
Such a process could potentially improve lithium recovery from underground brines while reducing the chemical demands of conventional separation methods.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of improve

Verb

Though consumers are advised to eat smaller fish or to trim away belly fat and dark meat to remove contaminants, blue catfish is increasingly popular table fare.

— Tovar Cerulli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Edmunds recommends avoiding the base SE Standard Range trim because of its EPA range estimate of just 220 miles.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of trim

Verb

As rising concerns about the cost of everyday goods, including gas and groceries, weigh on household finances, the election is shaping up to be a key test of economic sentiment.

— Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Jessica Dickler,Sarah Agostino,Greg Iacurci,Lorie Konish,Annie Nova,Sharon Epperson,Stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Tuesday has shaped up quite nicely, weather-wise, across North Texas.

— Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of shape up

Verb

Eire serves on the advisory board for the Disclosure Foundation, a nonprofit that organized the event and is dedicated to transparency around unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and aliens.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026
On February 9, 1934, the French Communist Party organized a march to the Place de la République as a counter-protest to fascist riots, an action that helped lay the groundwork for the alliance of left-wing parties known as the Popular Front.

— Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of organize

Verb

Under a state law passed in 2024 and amended this year, outdoor advertising companies can remove up to 500 feet of vegetation blocking drivers and onlookers from viewing their signs.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026
Meta appears to have amended the commercial terms to address publishers' concerns.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of amend

Verb

The hotel can also arrange more typical Lanai tourist activities—scuba diving, sailing, horseback riding, or a day at the beach at the sister Four Seasons resort.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Lawyers in Russia eventually located him and arranged for legal visits, money for food and basic necessities, and the brief phone call with his son.

— Olivia Gazis, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

The findings could help scientists understand the limits of Einstein’s theory of general relativity and investigate whether black holes can behave in ways that challenge our current understanding of the universe.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
In quantum physics, particles behave differently than us mortals.

— Shayla Love, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of behave

Verb

Forty-three percent of US adults say the federal government is effective at bettering people’s lives, down from 51% in 2025, according to a new Bentley University-Gallup survey.

— Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
In the meantime, however, humankind was not there to be bettered.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of better

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

straighten (up)

straighten (up or out)

straight-faced

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“Straighten (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of straighten (up or out)

verb

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