1 A2 neutral
To make your body upright; to correct your posture.
"Straighten up when you sit at the computer — slouching is bad for your back."
straighten up
A2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To make your posture upright, to tidy a space, or to improve your behavior.
In plain English
To sit or stand up straight, to make a room look tidy, or to start behaving better.
What does "straighten up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 informal
To tidy a room or space by putting things in order.
"Can you straighten up your bedroom before our guests arrive?"
separable
3 B1 idiomatic informal
To improve one's behavior or attitude; to stop acting irresponsibly.
"You need to straighten up if you want to keep this job."
“
Straighten up and fly right.
— Nat King Cole, song title, 1943
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make something that is crooked or messy into an upright, neat state.
Actually means
To sit or stand up straight, to make a room look tidy, or to start behaving better.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday American English. The posture and tidying senses are often used with children. 'Straighten up and fly right' is a fixed idiom meaning to behave properly.
Words that pair with "straighten up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
room desk posture back act behavior
How to conjugate "straighten up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
straighten up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
straightens up
he/she/it
Past simple
straightened up
yesterday
Past participle
straightened up
have + pp
-ing form
straightening up
continuous
Hear "straighten up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "straighten up"
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