straight
gb/stɹˈeɪt/ us/stɹˈeɪt/
A1
English
~ 2900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Not bent or curved
Not bent; in a direct line.
Usage pattern:
[something] is straight
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'straight' with 'direct' when talking about going to a place without stopping; 'direct' refers to the route, while 'straight' refers to direction or shape.
Synonyms
direct (Implies without deviation, but can also refer to manner or communication.)
Antonyms
curved (Having a bend or arc instead of being in a direct line.)
Collocations
straight line
|straight road
|straight path
|keep straight
Themes
geometry
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Draw a straight line across the page.
- The road ahead is completely straight.
- Keep your back straight when you lift heavy objects.
- She walked straight down the hallway.
Learner examples
- The stick is straight.
- This street is straight.
- My hair is straight.
- He stands straight.
adverb
A2
relation
2
Directly forward or immediately
Going in one direction without turning or stopping; immediately.
Usage pattern:
go straight [direction/place]
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'straightly', which is incorrect; the correct adverb is 'straight'.
Synonyms
directly (Often interchangeable, but 'directly' can also mean 'shortly' in British English.)
Antonyms
indirectly (Not in a direct route or manner.)
Collocations
go straight
|straight away
|straight ahead
Themes
travel
|daily life
|time
|space
Examples
- Go straight ahead until you reach the park.
- She went straight home after work.
- He looked straight at me.
Learner examples
- Go straight to the shop.
- She went straight to bed.
- I looked straight at him.
adjective
B1
property
3
Honest and direct
Telling the truth and being clear.
Usage pattern:
a straight [answer/person]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'straight' here with 'upright' physically; in this sense it refers to honesty, not position.
Synonyms
frank (Often implies openness even if it might be unpleasant.)
Antonyms
deceitful (Deliberately misleading or dishonest.)
Collocations
straight answer
|straight talk
|straight shooter
Themes
communication
|character
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I just want a straight answer from you.
- She's known for her straight talk.
- He’s a straight shooter who says what he thinks.
Learner examples
- Give me a straight answer.
- He is a straight man.
- She talks in a straight way.
adjective
A1
property
4
Without curls or waves (hair)
Hair that is not curly or wavy.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has straight hair
Synonyms
smooth (In this context, describes hair texture but doesn't specifically mean no curls.)
Antonyms
curly (Having curls instead of lying flat.)
Collocations
straight hair
|long straight hair
Themes
appearance
|body
|clothing
Examples
- She has long, straight hair.
- I use a flat iron to keep my hair straight.
- His hair is naturally straight.
Learner examples
- My hair is straight.
- She has straight hair.
- Her hair is long and straight.
adjective
B1
property
5
Heterosexual in orientation
Liking people of the other sex in a romantic way.
Synonyms
heterosexual (More formal and clinical term for sexual orientation.)
Antonyms
gay (Sexually attracted to people of the same sex.)
Collocations
straight man
|straight woman
Themes
relationships
|health
Examples
- He's straight, not gay.
- She came out as straight after some confusion among friends.
- Most of her friends are straight.
Learner examples
- I am straight.
- He is not gay; he is straight.
- She says she is straight.
adjective
A2
property
6
Neat and orderly
Neat and in the right place or order.
Synonyms
orderly (Emphasizes systematic arrangement, not just alignment.)
Antonyms
messy (Not neat or organized.)
Collocations
keep things straight
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Make sure the books are straight on the shelf.
- He likes to keep his desk straight and clean.
- The pictures on the wall aren't quite straight.
Learner examples
- The books are straight on the table.
- Please keep your desk straight.
- The picture is not straight.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
7
Five cards in sequence (poker)
In poker, five cards with numbers in order, any suits.
Synonyms
sequence hand (Technical poker term describing cards in order.)
Collocations
make a straight
Themes
games
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- I won with a straight to the ace.
- He was hoping for a straight but got a flush instead.
- A ten-high straight beat my hand.
Learner examples
- I have a straight in poker.
- He wins with a straight.
- A straight beats three of a kind.
Grammar
Dictionary form
straight
IPA
GB/stɹˈeɪt/
US/stɹˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
straight (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (straight)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: straight
- Comparative: straighter
- Superlative: straightest
Noun
- Base: straight
- Plural: straights
Word family
Forms
straights
noun
straighter
adjective
straightest
adjective
Core family
straighten
verb A2
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
crooked
adjective
Advanced or less common
straightness
noun
Expressions
come straight out with it
1/kˈʌm stɹˈeɪt ˈaʊt wˈɪθ ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
Say something directly without hiding it
Say something without trying to hide it first.
Examples
- Just come straight out with it—what did you do?
- She came straight out with her opinion on the matter.
go straight to the point
1/ɡˈoʊ stɹˈeɪt tə ðə pˈɔɪnt/
idiom
Speak directly about main topic
Talk about the main idea without extra details first.
Examples
- Let's go straight to the point and discuss the budget issues.
- She always goes straight to the point in meetings.
keep a straight face
1/kˈip ə stɹˈeɪt fˈeɪs/
idiom
Not show emotion or amusement on face
Not smile or laugh when you want to.
Examples
- It was hard to keep a straight face during his joke.
- She kept a straight face even though she was excited inside.
set the record straight
1/sˈɛt ðə ɹˈɛkɚd stɹˈeɪt/
idiom
Correct false information or misunderstanding
To tell the truth about something that people have wrong information about.
Examples
- He set the record straight about what happened that night.
- The company issued a statement to set the record straight.
straight away
1/stɹˈeɪt əwˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
Immediately without delay
Right now; without waiting.
Examples
- I'll call her straight away.
- He left the meeting straight away when it ended.