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Synonyms

straighten up

British  

verb

  1. to become or cause to become erect

  2. to reform or become reformed

"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
straighten up Idioms  

  1. Make tidy, as in Let's get this room straightened up. [Second half of 1800s]

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.

Now, it is helping the company straighten up its balance sheet—and getting its hands on a major business in return.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

There shall be no more merriment, and in the words of Nat King Cole, it is time to straighten up and fly right.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2025

That caused Biden to straighten up to full attention.

From Washington Times • Oct. 2, 2023

“It’s Africa that’s going to straighten up France when it comes to paternalism, and getting a new perspective.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 4, 2023

Daniel and Axel help Ms. Dale straighten up the office.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

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.