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.
“You want to straighten out the budget?” he asked.
From Salon • Aug. 28, 2025
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
If Djokovic could wait this long to hold this record, he certainly could wait for the half-hour or so it took to straighten out his strokes in the French Open final.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 11, 2023
He hopes the worst is behind him as he tries to straighten out a career gone sideways.
From Washington Times • Jun. 8, 2023
One result of this act would be the birth of Robert Pilgrim, who would become a problem in high school, but who would then straighten out as a member of the famous Green Berets.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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.
