Kevin
October 11, 2023
Common Questions

Straight (streɪt, streyt) is an interesting word. Not only does it refer to moving uniformly in one direction, but when used as a colloquial term, our word of the day describes heterosexual people.

Confused? Not to worry — we’re here to help!

In this article, we’re exploring the word straight to uncover its definition, synonyms, usage, and more. So, if you’re curious about this peculiar term — keep reading.

What Is the Definition of Straight?

According to the Britannica Dictionary, the adjective straight can be defined as not having curves, bends, or angles and exactly vertical or horizontal. For instance, think of things like; a straight line, straight hair, going straight back, straight roads, or even the straight part of a racecourse.

When used as an adverb, the word straight means without detour or delay. For example, if you go straight to your friend’s house, you go there immediately.

The word can also mean honest, direct, or heterosexual (as in a straight woman or a straight man). Other word forms of straight are as follows:

Straightly
Straightness
Straights
Straighter
Straightest

What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Straight?

Synonyms and antonyms are not only useful to avoid repetition when speaking or writing, but these tools also provide a great way to memorize new words.

A synonym is a word that means the same or nearly the same as another word. With this in mind, the synonyms of straight include:

Heterosexual person
Flat as a pancake
Undiluted
Fuddy Duddy
Stick in the mud
Drug-free
Behind the times
Socially acceptable
Old fashioned
Buttoned down
Strait-laced
Uptight
Pooterish
Straight-lined
Law-abiding
With straight lines
Proper order
Like an arrow
Hetero
In a standing position
On one’s feet
In a row
Fair and square
In order
In a line
Plain speaking
Out front
On the level
Point blank
Shipshape and Bristol fashion
Spick and span
Neat and tidy
In apple-pie order
Well kept
In good shape
Put to rights
Straightaway
As straight as an arrow
Pricked up
Stand up
Of same height
Parallel with the ground
Dead flat
As sober as a judge
Off the sauce
Off the booze
On the wagon
Out and out
Lined up
Properly positioned
No nonsense
Free of drugs
Took the pledge
Well thought out
One after the other
On the trot
Back to back
In succession
Straight from the shoulder
Plain spoken

In contrast, an antonym is a word that has an opposite meaning. Antonyms of straight include:

Winding
Circuitous
On and off
Roundabout
Meandrous
Sinuous
Out of order
Screwlike
Coiling
Queer
Zigzag
Curved
Curvy
Off the wall
Gyrating
Bent
Crooked
Pie eyed

How Can You Use Straight in a Sentence?

Our word of the day can refer to someone’s sexuality as well as something that’s linear and not bent.

With this in mind, let’s check out a few sentence examples to help you feel comfortable making the word straight a part of your everyday vocabulary:

I won the jackpot the other day at the casino —and with a straight flush, no less!

When I went to the bar, I ordered my whiskey straight up, but the bartender gave it to me mixed with Cola.

Yes, I am fully aware that you’re of the opposite sex… but as I said, I’m not straight.

The comedian delivered a hilarious joke with a perfectly straight face.

Cindy set the record straight after making her famous homemade cookies — she is definitely the best baker in the office!

Timothy, please just give me a straight answer; do you prefer me with curly hair or straight hair?

Give it to me straight — which political party are you rooting for?

Did you know that the word straight derives from the past participle of strecchen, meaning to stretch?

After staying up three straight days and nights, I finally completed my research paper on sexual orientation.

Please look straight ahead at all times when you’re behind the wheel.

I told Toby to drive straight but he keeps deviating from the path.

No way my dad goes for this idea. He’s a straight Democrat, and this goes against everything he stands for!

It’s a straight choice — you either pick him or me.

Straight off the bat, I am not particularly fond of your shoes, but don’t worry — I am a fashion designer and can help to upgrade your look!

Look, I can’t handle any more lies. So, please just tell me — are you being straight with me?

What Are Some Translations of the Word Straight?

Now that you understand what our word of the day means, you might be interested in learning the many different ways to say straight. So, to satisfy your curiosity, we’ve compiled a short list of common translations for you to review below:

Dutch — recht
European Spanish — recto
Finnish — suora
Russian — прямой
Spanish — recto
Swedish — rak
Thai — ตรง
Turkish — doğru çizgi
Ukrainian — прямий
American English — straight
Arabic — مُسْتَقيم
Brazilian Portuguese — reto
Chinese (simplified) — 直的
Croatian — ravan
Czech — rovný
Danish — lige
Vietnamese — thẳng
Japanese — まっすぐな
Korean — 똑바른
Norwegian — rett
Polish — prosty równy
European Portuguese — reto
Romanian — drept
British English — straight
French — droit pas courbé
German — gerade
Greek — ευθύς
Italian — dritto

A Final Word

Although our word of the day may seem like a pretty straightforward term with an easy-to-understand definition, the truth is that this is anything but the case. Why?

Simply put, the term straight can refer to a number of different things, including someone’s sexuality, an uncrooked line moving uniformly in one direction, as well as an object possessing no bends, curves, or twists — that’s why!

So, if the word straight ever crosses your path, be sure to pick up on context clues to ensure that you understand the correct usage being conveyed.

Sources:

Straight Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

HETEROSEXUAL : definition | The Cambridge English Dictionary

STRAIGHT (adjective) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.