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
  • Canales’ first year came with little-to-no expectations, and the team improved three games from rock bottom (2-15 in 2023).
    Mike Kaye September 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The series builds on The Star's efforts to improve coverage of local communities.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Undeterred, Rodgers connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Warren to trim the deficit to 26-24.
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • For his efforts, which also included spending more than $7,000 to trim trees and cut down two redwoods and a fir, he was rewarded with a certificate from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety that persuaded his insurer to maintain his coverage.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Leans Democratic Maine is undergoing a similar gubernatorial race to the one currently shaping up in New Jersey.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The employment survey was shaping up as one of the most closely watched in years.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To qualify for a portion of the county arts funding, organizations must be active 501(c)3 entities, located and operating in Milwaukee County, organized for the primary purpose of producing or presenting the arts, and open to the general public, according to the county's application terms.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The Best States to Work Index analyzes 27 policies across three categories — wages, worker protections and rights to organize — for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
    Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The agenda includes legislation to amend the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act and reauthorize the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program at $60,000,000 through 2032.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Wiener’s bill was recently amended to apply to only local and federal law enforcement agents.
    Devan Patel, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The bill conflates ethics with tax relief and reinforces the idea that lawmakers need a sweet treat to behave ethically.
    Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Virtually nothing was known about how chimpanzees behaved in the wild at that time.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges for helping to arrange the illicit sale of weapons to Iran and divert the proceeds to fund a secret war against anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Wegovy injection pens arranged in Waterbury, Vermont, US, on Monday, April 28, 2025.
    Karen Gilchrist,Katrina Bishop, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Over the past two seasons, the Swede has scored 44 goals in the Premier League, a tally bettered only by Salah and Erling Haaland with 47 and 49 respectively.
    Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • But since his release, has worked to better the justice system, Johnson said.
    Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 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.

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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 12 Sep. 2025.

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