1
as in shaping up
to change one's behavior or character for the better
I hope that rehab will help her straighten up for good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trimming
to make neat
a directive for everyone to straighten up their cubicle in preparation for a visit from some corporate VIPs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straightening (up or out)
Verb
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The bigger picture is that travel demand has defied shaky economic data and is shaping up to be more of a secular bull market than the cyclical story many assumed.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025 -
This season is shaping up to be quite different, with the extensive list of injuries only two weeks in.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Scott's expertise in embellishment and her ability to execute it in the most chic way prevailed; whether as crystal beading on the cape-style lapel of a jacket, a delicate fur-like fringe in neon green flanking a black dress, or a tubular velvet rope trimming the edges of tank-style pieces.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Something as simple as trimming nails or cutting hair also takes on new challenges, as without gravity, every tiny clipping would drift around, potentially clogging equipment or entering astronauts' eyes or lungs.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Biglari’s core demands were to stop opening new stores entirely, eliminate the development team to save money, and focus exclusively on improving existing store operations rather than expansion.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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This is why today, the top customer experience tools for improving customer satisfaction are unified customer experience management (UCXM) platforms.—
Tomas Gorny,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The college was being reprimanded amid allegations of antisemitism on campus and activism led in part by Mahmoud Khalil, a foreign student organizing against Israel’s war in Gaza.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Sep. 2025
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As an engineering problem, AI mimics basic brain functions like memory, recall, organizing information, and learning.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As reported by Reuters, Anutin's election was the result of a political agreement with the progressive opposition People's Party, the largest bloc in parliament, which was convinced by his promise to hold a referendum on amending the constitution and call a general election within four months.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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After amending your soil with compost or aged manure before planting, these heavy-feeding plants need an additional side-dressing with a balanced organic fertilizer when their leafy shoots emerge in spring.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Foster a culture of inclusion, for example, by arranging monthly or quarterly get-togethers between your in-house team and your freelancers.—
Jessica Wong,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Martha Stewart suggests using half of the pristine pecan halves on top of the filling, arranging them in concentric circles.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
15 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Straightening (up or out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straightening%20%28up%20or%20out%29. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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