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
  • Founded in 1996, ZERO Prostate Cancer has been dedicated to improving and saving lives affected by prostate cancer through advocacy, education, awareness and support.
    Caché McClay, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Overall, 29 aircraft models had a drop in mission capability rates, whereas only 26 improved.
    Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Also different in 2025, five broad categories were trimmed to three.
    David Spiegel, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Indeed, superhero cinema seems to be trimming a lot of the fat that’s contributed to the genre’s loss of gloss from its heady days of late-2010s.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Here in our state capital, 2025 is not shaping up to be the year of affordability.
    Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
  • That strengthens a home-heavy profile that is otherwise shaping up well.
    Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • But that would also assume that the institutions organize under some umbrella akin to MLB or the NFL, because now there is really no single entity on the institution side with which to bargain.
    Seth Emerson, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The Limitations Of The Perfect Algorithm Artificial Intelligence tools excel in gathering and organizing massive amounts of information.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The decision did not mean the end of the case, but rather put the onus back on investigators and prosecutors to bring forward new evidence to bolster their charges, or amend the indictment.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Congressman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, has already sought to amend the CZMA to strip the Coastal Commission of certain regulatory authority.
    Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Though the old stadium was closed in 2008, the new stadium was built across the street, and the wind behaves similarly there.
    Brendan Kuty, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Rich and poor characters alike behave badly on the show—but only the former expect to get away with their sins, and usually do.
    Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Frame a few new photos and arrange them with meaningful keepsakes on your shelves.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2025
  • This cosmic phenomenon inspired the couple to include astrological motifs throughout their wedding plans, from personalized Zodiac plates for every guest to arranging the tables to represent the sun with surrounding planets in orbit.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The American Gaming Association estimates betters nationwide will wager $1.39 billion on the big game — an 11.2% increase from the projection made by research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming for last year's Super Bowl.
    Jessica Boehm, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025
  • People add a range of things, like chlorophyll drops, apple cider vinegar and L-theanine powder to their water in order to try to better their health.
    Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 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 4 Mar. 2025.

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