straighten
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to make or become straight
-
(tr) to make neat or tidy
straighten your desk
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
prestraightenverb (used with object)
-
well-straightenedadjective
-
overstraightenverb
-
unstraightenedadjective
-
straightenernoun
-
restraightenverb
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has straightenedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have straightenedperfect
-
are straighteningprogressive
-
is straighteningprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been straighteningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been straighteningperfect progressive
-
straighteningparticiple
-
am straighteningprogressive 1st person singular
-
straightenssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had straightenedperfect
-
were straighteningprogressive plural
-
had been straighteningperfect progressive
-
straightenedparticiple
-
straightenedsimple
-
was straighteningprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of straighten
Explanation
When you straighten something, you either unbend it or tidy it up. So you might straighten your legs, get off the couch, and straighten the room. To make something straight is to straighten it. When you uncross your legs and stretch them out in front of you, you straighten them. And if you adjust a picture on the wall so it's perfectly level, you straighten it. In the the 14th century, the equivalent verb was straight — so in those days, your mom would have said, "Straight your bedroom before you go out with your friends!"
Vocabulary lists containing straighten
List 10
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Giving Tree"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Spelling Practice 3, Unit 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She says every effort thereafter to straighten things out met the runaround.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025
It took a meeting with the inflation-slaying giant of a former Fed chair, Paul Volcker, to straighten him out.
From Barron's • Oct. 8, 2025
Should these innings be used to straighten out previously-successful relievers such as Treinen and Scott?
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2025
“You want to straighten out the budget?” he asked.
From Salon • Aug. 28, 2025
I tried to straighten it, pushing up against my Papá’s hand.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
