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Definitions

straighten

[strayt-n] / ˈstreɪt n /


Example Sentences

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When he promises her that he’ll straighten out his life, he sounds as desperate as all the other bad men who’ve tried those same pleas on him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

The researchers identified four characteristics that can help determine whether a tilted tropical cyclone is likely to straighten vertically.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

“You want to straighten out your press,” Trump said before bringing the conversation to an end.

From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026

“If there are, we’ll have to straighten it out, but I don’t think there’s too many significant differences,” Trump said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

If she begged him to straighten, he slouched, almost slipping through her hands.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

They then performed leg extensions, an exercise in which a person sits and straightens the lower legs against resistance to lift a weight.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

Word spreads that Sparks starter Kelsey Plum will be there soon and everyone straightens up.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

The Mercator map is arguably the best for this purpose, because it straightens out spiraling rhumb lines, and that’s why it rose to dominance.

From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2026

Whatever you wear, I hope you share M&M’s and popcorn with someone who straightens your crown.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2024

Albert straightens his tie, which is the only part of his outfit that fits.

From "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

“It’ll be back down once we get things straightened out.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Knightsbridge had a short lead as the two horses passed the mile marker, and when they straightened out in the stretch, the race was over.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

He played sensibly, taking 80 balls over his 58, until he was bowled by a wicked delivery from Foulkes that angled in, then straightened.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

A very kind woman working behind the desk straightened me out: I was being too literal.

From Slate ● Dec. 29, 2025

I straightened myself up in the glass of a shop window and went to the dressmaker’s, where I had asked about work before, but that position had been filled long ago.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

His grand goal was to reduce flooding, ease navigation and expand commercial shipping capacity by straightening the river’s course and shortening the distance between Basel and Bonn by 50 miles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"Expansion and straightening cause water to drain away into the North Sea and Baltic Sea even faster, rather than being retained in the surrounding area."

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

As he arrived, straightening his tie, to be confirmed in the top job in central London 10 days ago, I asked him why he'd taken so long.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

We may all recoil in horror at “Mar-a-Lago face”—and you might be rolling your eyes at my foray into the world of butt-crack straightening.

From Slate ● Feb. 22, 2026

Instead he faced into the corner, and busied himself straightening his jacket and arranging his tie.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan




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