# straighten up

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/straighten-up
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to make a place tidy or to stand in a more upright position. You use this when you want to fix a messy room or improve your posture.

For teachers: to make a place neat by tidying; alternatively, to assume an erect posture. The tidying sense is often used intransitively or with a direct object, while the postural sense is typically intransitive.

## Examples

- I need to straighten up the living room before the guests arrive.
- After slouching in his chair for an hour, he straightened up when his boss walked into the office.
- The housekeeper spent the afternoon straightening up the library, meticulously returning every stray volume to its designated shelf.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to straighten up of my desk." but "I need to straighten up my desk." — the verb takes a direct object without the preposition 'of'.

## Usage notes

- when used for tidying, it is often separable; when referring to posture, it is always intransitive.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'tidy up' (more common in British English) and 'clean up' (which implies washing or scrubbing); 'straighten up' focuses on order and alignment.

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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.