straighten out
phrasal verb
straightened out; straightening out; straightens out
1
: to make (something) straight or to become straight
You need to straighten out your legs for this stretch.
The river curves and then straightens out again.
2
: to make (something) organized or tidy : to put (something) in order
He took time to straighten out the papers on his desk.
3
: to deal with (something) successfully
I need more time to straighten out my problems.
4
: to improve in behavior or condition or to cause (someone or something) to improve in behavior or condition
He straightened out after joining the army.
The problem will not straighten out on its own.
You need to straighten your life out.
Her parents sent her to boarding school to straighten her out.
Examples of straighten out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a cat becomes more upset, or aggressive, their whiskers will straighten out to the sides.
—
Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
As long as the ball is in play, Alexander-Walker will not straighten out.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
If this convoluted Golden State campaign is to straighten out, some pre-All-Star momentum would really stretch a long way.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
The program needs stability at that position, and Gronowski provides it as the coaching staff straightens out the quarterback depth chart for the future.
—Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straighten out
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Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
As long as the ball is in play, Alexander-Walker will not straighten out.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
If this convoluted Golden State campaign is to straighten out, some pre-All-Star momentum would really stretch a long way.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
The program needs stability at that position, and Gronowski provides it as the coaching staff straightens out the quarterback depth chart for the future.
—Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for straighten out
Cite this Entry
“Straighten out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/straighten%20out. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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