straighten out
Britishverb
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to make or become less complicated or confused
the situation will straighten out
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to reform or become reformed
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Clear up disorder, a confusion, or a misunderstanding, as in This is an awful mess; I hope you'll straighten it out , or I don't understand; please straighten me out . [Late 1800s]
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Adopt an honest, upright course, as in He's only sixteen; I'm sure he'll straighten out before long . [First half of 1900s]
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.
The well-regarded Whittingham was hired to straighten out the program and lift the mood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
“You want to straighten out your press,” Trump said before bringing the conversation to an end.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
That’s so the Washington State Department of Transportation can straighten out the busy corridor.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
But the company could also straighten out its books by going to the reinsurance market, or applying for rate increases and transparently pleading its case to the Department of Insurance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2023
Because they would be under enormous tension and could start in any configuration, they might accelerate to very high speeds when they straighten out.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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.
