English Reference
Idiom idiom

straighten out


To correct or rectify.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I need to straighten out my messy desk today.

CONTEXTUAL

The accountant spent all morning trying to straighten out the errors in the company's financial records.

COMPLEX

After the project faced significant delays, the manager intervened to straighten out the team's workflow and ensure they met the final deadline.


Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    straighten up

    To start living a reformed life; to adopt a more honest and respectable course of behavior.

  2. 02

    straighten up and fly right

    To start behaving properly; get one's act together.

Last updated August 10, 2026