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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for straighten (up or out)
Verb
  • The lateral stretching of toe spread exercises can help improve your flexibility and motor control, protect against bunion pain and increase foot stability, Tenforde says.
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 7 June 2025
  • Conditions are not expected to significantly improve anytime soon.
    Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • The Owls trimmed the lead to 25-20 and got the ball back at their 30 with 32 seconds remaining in the game.
    Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • While restructuring in the name of efficiency is one way to trim headcount, a negative work environment can also have a direct impact on talent retention.
    The Hill, The Hill, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Now, the two horses and six others will meet in what is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated horse races of the year.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 7 June 2025
  • But based on the Trump administration’s track record, this new department is shaping up to be a textbook case of political double standards.
    Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • The trophy parade was organized on a nationwide bank holiday, the day after Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy following the competition’s final round of matches on Sunday.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
  • The harvest was organized as a collaborative effort, with volunteers picking, sorting and packing the fruit, which was then distributed to clients of West Valley Community Services who are dealing with food insecurity.
    Vidula Aiyer, Mercury News, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • Last month, the Ohio Ballot Board signed off on the proposal to amend the Ohio constitution to abolish property taxes, giving official permission to Citizens for Property Tax Reform to start gathering signatures supporting the measure's appearance on the November ballot.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
  • Gregory Davis, public information officer for the city of Ocala, told ABC News the city's council will be voting on Tuesday to amend the ordinance.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Successful deployment depends on robust guardrails—policies, oversight mechanisms and escalation paths that ensure agents behave in alignment with enterprise standards.
    Alan Ranger, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • There are times when adults really should behave more like children.
    DeVonne Goode, Parents, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • At Emery’s request, the club arranged a warm-weather camp in Dubai during the March international break, including a couple of friendlies against local teams.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Clinics often arrange hotel stays and local transfers.
    William Jones, USA Today, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Obviously being able to better more precisely diagnose conditions and to test samples at a genetic level represents advancement in science and an improvement in our understanding of our own body.
    Dylan Scott, Vox, 26 May 2025
  • Still, Simone has apparently done some work toward bettering her mental health.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 23 May 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 10 Jun. 2025.

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