straight

STRAYT/stɹeɪt/

Adjectivestraighter, straightest

Noun pluralstraights

36 meanings of straight

Practice

1
adjective
Not bent or curved, or going in one direction without turning.
Like a line you draw along the edge of a ruler: no curves at all.
She drew a straight line with her ruler.
His hair is straight, not curly.
Oppositecurved, bent, crooked, curly
Note
2
no detouradverb
Without stopping or taking a longer way, right away or by the shortest path.
Like going from your house to school without any side trips.
She went straight home after the movie.
He came straight to work without eating breakfast.
UsageOften before a place: go straight home, go straight to bed.
Similardirectly, immediately, right, promptly, instantly
Oppositeindirectly
Note
3
adjective
Happening one after another with no break, such as wins, games, or sets in a row.
Like beads lined up on a string with no gaps between them.
Our team won four straight matches this month.
It snowed for six straight days.
UsagePut it after a number: five straight wins.
Similarconsecutive, successive
4
adverb
In an exact direction toward something, right at it.
Like pointing your finger right at something.
Look straight ahead and don't turn your head.
The ball flew straight at me.
UsageOften in straight ahead and look straight at someone.
Similardirectly, right, dead, squarely
Oppositeindirectly, sideways, obliquely
5
adjectivecolloquial
Attracted to people of the opposite sex. Also used of relationships between a man and a woman.
My brother is straight and married to a woman.
She's straight, but she marches in the pride parade to support her friends.
Similarheterosexual
Oppositegay
Note
6
adjective
Perfectly level or upright, not slanted.
Like a wall that stands perfectly up and down, not leaning.
Make sure the shelf is straight before you fix it to the wall.
Is this picture straight, or is it tilted?
UsageOften after the verb: hang it straight.
Similarlevel, plumb, upright, even, vertical
Oppositecrooked, askew, slanted, tilted
Note
7
adjective
Saying what you mean clearly, without hiding anything.
Like telling someone the truth instead of going round in circles.
Thanks for being straight with me about the problem.
Just give me a straight answer.
UsageOften a straight answer, or be straight with someone.
Similarfrank, direct, honest, candid, forthright
Oppositeevasive, vague, indirect, devious
8
without a breakadverb
Without stopping or taking a break.
She worked twelve hours straight without a single rest.
He drove for three days straight to reach the coast.
UsagePut it after the time: two days straight.
Similarrunning, solid, nonstop, continuously, consecutively
Oppositeintermittently, sporadically
9
road sectionnouncountable
A part of a road or track that runs in a line with no bends.
Like the part of a race track between the two bends, where it runs in a line.
The cars sped up along the back straight before the turn.
Runners gain speed on the final straight as the finish line nears.
UsageUsually the straight, as in the home straight.
Similarstretch
Oppositebend, curve, corner
Note
10
seriousadjective
Acting in a serious way, not trying to be funny.
In the film she played it completely straight, never winking at the camera.
He was the straight half of the comedy duo and never cracked a smile.
UsageOften play it straight: act it seriously, not for laughs.
Similarserious, dramatic, deadpan, solemn
Oppositecomic, comedic, humorous
Note
11
totaladjectiveslang
Total and complete, with nothing held back.
Charging that much for water was straight robbery.
What they pulled at the meeting was straight nonsense.
UsagePut it before a noun: straight nonsense.
Similaroutright, pure, utter, absolute, total
Note
12
properly arrangedadjective
Set in the right order, the way it should be.
Like making sure everything is in its right place before you begin.
Get your story straight before you talk to the boss.
Once the accounts were straight, she finally relaxed.
UsageOften get something straight: get the facts straight.
Similarright, correct, tidy, orderly, neat
Oppositemuddled, confused, disorderly, messy
Note

Less common meanings

13
said plainlyadverb
Saying something clearly and openly, without hiding things.
Like saying exactly what you think, with nothing left hidden.
Just tell me straight if I did something wrong.
He spoke straight and didn't dodge the question.
UsageUse after tell or give: give it to me straight.
Similarfrankly, plainly, bluntly, directly, candidly
Oppositeevasively, vaguely, indirectly
Note
14
not corruptadjective
Honest and obeying the law.
Like a referee who always plays fair and never cheats.
He's a straight cop who never takes bribes.
They run a straight, honest business.
UsageOften go straight: stop being a criminal.
Similarhonest, upright, fair, square, law-abiding
Oppositecrooked, dishonest, corrupt, bent
Note
15
unmixed (alcohol)adjective
Used about strong alcohol served with no water, ice or anything else added.
Like drinking juice without adding any water to it.
He drinks his whiskey straight.
She ordered her bourbon straight, with no ice.
UsageUsually goes after the drink: drink whisky straight (or neat).
Similarneat, undiluted, unmixed
Oppositediluted, mixed
Note
16
adjectivecolloquial
In a good state and doing just fine.
Don't worry about me, I'm straight.
No thanks, I'm straight. I just ate lunch.
UsageUse after be: I'm straight, thanks.
Similarfine, good, okay, set, sorted
17
on good termsadjectivecolloquialreciprocal
On good terms with someone again, with no bad feelings left.
Once he paid me back, we were straight.
Are we straight now, or are you still mad at me?
UsageUse about two people: we're straight now.
Similarsquare, even, quits, good
Oppositeestranged
18
a heterosexualnouncolloquialcountable
A person who is romantically and sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.
My brother is a straight who joined the pride parade to support his friends.
Most of the team are straights who proudly support their gay teammates.
Similarhetero
Oppositehomosexual, gay, lesbian
19
poker handnouncountable
In card games, five cards whose numbers come one after another.
Like holding number cards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 all in a row.
He drew the last card he needed to complete a straight.
A straight beats two pair in most games.
Note
20
mainstreamadjectivecolloquial
Following normal, ordinary ways, not unusual.
Like always following the usual rules instead of doing something different.
He got tired of his straight nine-to-five job and quit.
Their style was too straight for the art crowd.
UsageOften negative: too straight means too ordinary.
Similarconventional, square, conservative, orthodox, traditional
Oppositeunconventional, alternative, bohemian, edgy
Note
21
soberadjectivecolloquial
Not using alcohol or drugs.
Like choosing to drink only water at a party.
He's been straight for two years and feels much better.
He has been straight for two years and never misses a meeting.
UsageSay stay straight for not using drugs. Go straight usually means stop doing crime.
Similarsober, clean, dry, abstinent
Oppositehigh, drunk, intoxicated
Note
22
cylinders in lineadjective
Having all the engine's cylinders set in one straight line.
The roadster came with a straight six under the hood.
They rebuilt the old straight four for the restoration project.
Similarin-line
Note
23
mainstream personnounslangcountable
A regular person who fits into mainstream society and doesn't break from the norm.
The hippies dismissed him as a straight who would never understand them.
To the punks in the club, he was just a straight in a suit and tie.
UsageStraights can also mean people attracted only to people of the opposite sex.
Similarnormie, square, normal, muggle, mainstreamer
Oppositebohemian, nonconformist, hippie
Note
24
one party onlyadjectiveUS
Supporting every candidate from one political party, with no exceptions.
He voted a straight Republican ticket every November.
My grandfather always votes a straight ticket.
UsageMost often in a straight ticket.
Oppositesplit
Note
25
standard sizeadjective
Not plus-size, made for smaller, thinner body sizes.
The brand only made straight sizes for years.
Many stores stock plenty of straight sizes but few plus options.
UsageMostly in straight sizes.
Similarstandard, regular
Oppositeplus-size, extended
Note
26
verbarchaic
To make something straight.
One man draws out the wire , another straights it , a third cuts it , a fourth points it , a fifth grinds it at the top for receiving the head
1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations
27
nounslang
A tobacco cigarette, not one filled with marijuana.
28
adjective
In cricket, of a bat held upright, or along or near the line joining the two wickets.
29
adjectiveUS
Listing all the candidates of one political party, and no one else.
30
adjectiveslang
Of sex, ordinary and conventional.
31
adjectiverare
Not wide, with little space.
Egypt is a long country, but it is straight, that is to say, narrow.
c. 1360, Sir John Mandeville, The Travels of Sir John Mandeville
32
adjectiveobsolete
Reaching out to its full length, with no bend.
33
adjective
Of a telegram, sent fast at full price.
34
adjective
In geometry, describing a curve that never turns aside within the surface or space it lies in.
35
noun
A chiropractor who only adjusts the spine.
36
noun
A cat whose ears stand up, though its breed often has ears that fold down.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of straight apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English streight, which was the past participle of strecchen, meaning "to stretch." It comes from Old English streċċan.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

Straight derives from Middle English streight. en.wiktionary.org
Streight was the past participle of strecchen. en.wiktionary.org
Strecchen meant “to stretch.” en.wiktionary.org
The etymological chain goes back to Old English streċċan. en.wiktionary.org