the straight and narrow

noun

informal
: the way of living that is honest and morally proper
His wife keeps him on the straight and narrow.

Examples of the straight and narrow in a Sentence

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With some tweaks, Tuchel could get England on the straight and narrow again. Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Rather than having to pinpoint particular protections, maybe the cohesive and comprehensive route is to bake into AI a set of ethical and legal values that will keep it on the straight and narrow path, including being on the watch of becoming a useful idiot. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 Being on the straight and narrow isn’t lucrative. Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 The building houses formerly homeless people in recovery from behavioral health disorders — and the victim was living on the straight and narrow, a law enforcement source said. Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the straight and narrow

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Cite this Entry

“The straight and narrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20straight%20and%20narrow. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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