straight

[ streyt ]

/ streɪt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: straight / straights / straightly / straightness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, straight·er, straight·est.

without a bend, angle, or curve; not curved; direct: a straight path.

exactly vertical or horizontal; in a perfectly vertical or horizontal plane: a straight table.

(of a line) generated by a point moving at a constant velocity with respect to another point.

evenly or uprightly formed or set: straight shoulders.

without circumlocution; frank; candid: straight speaking.

honest, honorable, or upright, as conduct, dealings, methods, or persons.

Informal. reliable, as a report or information.

right or correct, as reasoning, thinking, or a thinker.

in the proper order or condition: Things are straight now.

continuous or unbroken: in straight succession.

thoroughgoing or unreserved: a straight Republican.

supporting or cast for all candidates of one political party: to vote a straight ticket.

unmodified or unaltered: a straight comedy.

without change in the original melody or tempo: She does straight songs, with just the piano backing her.

Informal.

heterosexual.
traditional; conventional.
free from using narcotics.
not engaged in crime; law-abiding; reformed.

not mixed with anything; undiluted, as whiskey.

Theater. (of acting) straightforward; not striving for effect.

Journalism. written or to be written in a direct and objective manner, with no attempt at individual styling, comment, etc.: She gave me a straight story. Treat it as straight news.

Cards. containing cards in consecutive denominations, as a two, three, four, five, and six, in various suits.

adverb

in a straight line: to walk straight.

in an even form or position: pictures hung straight.

in an erect posture: to stand up straight.

directly: to go straight to a place.

without circumlocution; frankly; candidly (often followed by out).

honestly, honorably, or virtuously: to live straight.

without intricate involvement; not in a roundabout way; to the point.

in a steady course (often followed by on): to keep straight on after the second traffic light.

into the proper form or condition; in order: to put a room straight.

in possession of the truth or of true ideas: I want to set you straight before you make mistakes.

sold without discount regardless of the quantity bought: Candy bars are twenty cents straight.

Journalism. directly and objectively: Write the circus story straight.

without personal embellishments, additions, etc.: Tell the story straight. Sing the song straight.

(of liquor) served or drunk without ice, a mixer, or water; neat: He drank his whiskey straight.

noun

the condition of being straight.

a straight form or position.

a straight line.

a straight part, as of a racecourse.

Informal.

a heterosexual.
a person who follows traditional or conventional mores.
a person who is free from narcotics.

Chiefly Games. a succession of strokes, plays, etc., which gives a perfect score.

OTHER WORDS FOR straight

5 open, direct.

6 virtuous, just, fair, equitable.

See synonyms for straight on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR straight

1 crooked.

5 devious.

See antonyms for straight on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CUDDLE UP! A COZY QUIZ ON FALL WORDS HAS ARRIVED

If autumn is your ideal season, spice up your repertoire of "fall" vocabulary with this quiz on some warm and vivid descriptive words for the season.

Question 1 of 10

Which of the following words means “to make a crackling sound; crackle”?

crisp

crepitate

fuscous

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Idioms about straight

go straight, Informal. to live a law-abiding life; no longer engage in crime.

play it straight, Informal. to do something without jokes, tricks, subterfuge, distortions, or the like: a comedian who plays it straight when he crusades against drug abuse.

straight off, without delay; immediately: I told him straight off what I thought about the matter.Also straight away.

straight up, (of a cocktail) served without ice: a gin martini straight up.

Origin of straight

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (adjective), originally past participle of strecchen “to stretch”; see origin at stretch

OTHER WORDS FROM straight

straightly, adverbstraightness, nouno·ver·straight, adjectiveo·ver·straight·ly, adverb

o·ver·straight·ness, nounsu·per·straight, adjectiveun·straight, adjectiveun·straight·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH straight

straight , strait

Words nearby straight

Stradivarius, strafe, Strafford, straggle, straggly, straight, straight A, straight-ahead, straight and narrow, straight angle, straight-arm

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use straight in a sentence

One person up front, the other standing just behind and to the side, eyes straight ahead.
What floor?|Sophia Nguyen|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Wacom Intuos drawing tabletIf you want to go straight to digital, but are not ready to invest in an iPad Pro, then Wacom’s Intuos drawing tablet is a great way to experiment without breaking the bank.
Must-have art supplies to let your inner creative shine|Sandra Gutierrez G.|February 11, 2021|Popular-Science
Look to an ergonomic desk chair for great supportThe best ergonomic desk chair will make sitting up straight feel easier than slouching.
Best desk chair for any home office|PopSci Commerce Team|February 11, 2021|Popular-Science
It gives us a chance to learn the things that we wouldn’t know going straight into it.
An NBA experiment lets draft prospects skip college, stay home and get paid to play|Michael Lee|February 11, 2021|Washington Post

Companies will have the real thing, straight from your brain.
New technology can get inside your head. Are you ready?|Laura Sanders|February 11, 2021|Science News For Students
In straight relationships with an age gap, words like ‘gold-digger’ and ‘trophy wife’ get thrown around.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Except the Braves did not win 14 straight pennants (they did win 14 straight division titles), and Smoltz is a also Republican.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of Fame|Ben Jacobs|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Denied parole nine straight times, he insists he is innocent of the crime for which he was convicted.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside|Justin Rohrlich|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Amazing how people can still haul this one out with a straight face.
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game|Michael Tomasky|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A new book from gay rights activist Marc Solomon sets the record straight about how gay marriage victories were really won.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She sat straight up in bed, and jerked her hands to her head, and screamed long and terribly.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
This wasn't at all what he meant to say, and it sounded very ridiculous; but somehow the words wouldn't come straight.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
She had listened—she had listened intently, looking straight out of the window and without moving.
Confidence|Henry James
It mounted straight as a plume for a little way, until it met the cool air of evening which was beginning to fall.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
This judicial bent of the child is a curious one and often develops a priggish fondness for setting others morally straight.
Children's Ways|James Sully

British Dictionary definitions for straight

straight

/ (streɪt) /

adjective

not curved or crooked; continuing in the same direction without deviating

straightforward, outright, or candida straight rejection

even, level, or upright in shape or position

in keeping with the facts; accurate

honest, respectable, or reliable

accurate or logicalstraight reasoning

continuous; uninterrupted

(esp of an alcoholic drink) undiluted; neat

not crisp, kinked, or curlystraight hair

correctly arranged; orderly

(of a play, acting style, etc) straightforward or serious

journalism (of a story, article, etc) giving the facts without unnecessary embellishment

US sold at a fixed unit price irrespective of the quantity sold

boxing (of a blow) delivered with an unbent arma straight left

(of the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine) in line, rather than in a V-formation or in some other arrangementa straight eight

a slang word for heterosexual

informal no longer owing or being owed somethingif you buy the next round we'll be straight

slang conventional in views, customs, appearance, etc

slang not using narcotics; not addicted

adverb

in a straight line or direct course

immediately; at oncehe came straight back

in an even, level, or upright position

without cheating, lying, or unreliabilitytell it to me straight

continuously; uninterruptedly

US without discount regardless of the quantity sold

(often foll by out) frankly; candidlyhe told me straight out

go straight informal to reform after having been dishonest or a criminal

noun

the state of being straight

a straight line, form, part, or position

British a straight part of a racetrackUS name: straightaway

poker

five cards that are in sequence irrespective of suit
a hand containing such a sequence
(as modifier)a straight flush

slang a conventional person

slang a heterosexual person

slang a cigarette containing only tobacco, without marijuana, etc

Derived forms of straight

straightly, adverbstraightness, noun

Word Origin for straight

C14: from the past participle of Old English streccan to stretch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with straight

straight

In addition to the idioms beginning with straight

straight and narrow, the
straight as an arrow
straighten out
straighten up
straight face
straight from the horse's mouth
straight from the shoulder
straight goods
straight off
straight out
straight talk
straight ticket
straight up

also see:

(straight) from the horse's mouth
get something straight
give it to (someone straight)
go straight
keep a straight face
right (straight) out
set straight
shoot straight

straight

OTHER WORDS FOR straight

OPPOSITES FOR straight

Idioms about straight

Origin of straight

OTHER WORDS FROM straight

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH straight

Words nearby straight

Words related to straight

How to use straight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for straight

Derived forms of straight

Word Origin for straight

Other Idioms and Phrases with straight