# straighten up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/straighten-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- He needs to straighten up and stop causing trouble.
- After failing his final exams, he decided it was time to straighten up and focus on his future.
- The judge warned the young man that he must straighten up immediately or face the severe consequences of his repeated criminal behavior.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.