Straighten

/ˈstreɪ.tən/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to make something straight or to restore to a straight condition.

She tried to straighten the bent metal rod.

to make a situation or behavior more orderly or correct.

The manager stepped in to straighten out the confusion among the team members.

to remove any bends or curves from something.

He used a ruler to straighten the line on the paper.

Combination of 'straight' (Middle English) + '-en' (verb-forming suffix)

straighten things out

to resolve a problem or clarify a situation

straighten up

to tidy or organize

straighten one's tie

to adjust one's tie, usually before a formal occasion

straight

having no bends, curves, or irregularities

straightforward

easy to understand or simple

alignment

arrangement in a straight line

to fix or sort out a situation

I need to straighten this out with my boss.

to arrange oneself or one's life in a more orderly fashion

After the breakup, she really needs to straighten herself out.