straight arrow

noun

Informal.

1. a person who manifests high-minded devotion to clean living and moral righteousness.

straight arrow

noun

1. informal

   1. a clean-living and honest person

   2. ( as modifier )

      a straight-arrow cop

Other Word Forms

• straight-arrow adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of straight arrow¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

As the straight arrow protagonist, Park expertly pulls off a trick similar to Kristen Wiig in “Bridesmaids”: Her character serves as the narrative engine, while also setting up comedy opportunities for the others.

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Widely described as an earnest straight arrow who carried himself with understated confidence, he excelled in all high school endeavors save for athletics and was elected president of his class.

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“He was a straight arrow in every way,” Ms. Jorgensen said.

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Even as a child, he was a straight arrow with a sense of duty, honor and country, and he carried that Boy Scout quality into adulthood.

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“The name speaks to the company’s mission of being a trustworthy source of news and information — a straight arrow that hits the bull’s eye,” Ricketts said through a spokesperson.

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Related Words

• candid 
• forthright 
• genuine 
• sincere 
• truthful 
• unequivocal