straighten (up or out)

1
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

2

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
Verb
  • Should the lab leak theory be dismissed, trust between the two countries might actually improve, as tensions between them ease.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 26 Jan. 2025
  • So far, the overall box office is improving on 2024 with ticket sales up 10.9% from the same point a year ago, according to Comscore.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Razorbacks trimmed the MU lead to 12 on the back of a 6-0 run in the early minutes of the second half.
    Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2025
  • As the industry moves toward a leaner model, companies are trimming headcount.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The weather is shaping up to be great for a football championship game in late January in Kansas City, according to the National Weather Service.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2025
  • But under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, committees of the sort DOGE seemed to be shaping up to be have several legal requirements, including making all meetings publicly accessible and requiring a diversity of perspectives on the committee itself.
    Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The portraits were part of a larger exhibit organized by the Holocaust Memorial Trust, Jewish News and Royal Photographic Society (of which Princess Kate is patron), bringing together 75 powerful images of survivors and their family members to mark 75 years since the Holocaust ended.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Professional, organized thieves swooping into stores in groups to steal high-demand items to sell on the black market.
    Cailey Locklair, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The president could not revoke the birthright citizenship clause entirely, as amending the Constitution to remove the clause would require votes by at least two-thirds of both chambers of Congress, plus approval by at least three-quarters of the states.
    Alison Durkee, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • John Curley, Aurora’s chief development services officer, told The Beacon-News on Wednesday that staff has already worked to create some recommendations for ways to amend current city building codes to bring them up to the 2024 International Code.
    R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Even Agnes, who stands to earn the film an X rating with her carnal extracurricular activities, behaves in ugly ways.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
  • This misperception can contribute to relational tension, as these individuals may overreact or behave defensively, interpreting a neutral response as a form of rejection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The company arranged for two Fox Sports personnel, Julian Edelman and Charissa Thompson, to do a tease of sorts just before kickoff of Fox’s Sunday telecast of the NFC Championship.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Over the weekend, Trump administration officials arranged another ride-along, that time in Chicago, for the daytime TV talk show star Dr. Phil McGraw.
    Brian Stelter, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Szoboszlai is on course to better those numbers this season, with his goal against Ipswich his third in the league and fourth of the season overall, alongside five assists in all competitions.
    Andy Jones, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Accept criticism gracefully and apply it to better yourself.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near straighten (up or out)

Cite this Entry

“Straighten (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straighten%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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