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straight-up

straight-up

144 7.9
Used to say something is completely honest without exaggeration
  • adverb
  • /ˈstreɪt ʌp/
  • Informal
: sinceramente
  • For the more rational people out there, surely a straight-up popular vote seems more reasonable?
  • just straight-up
  • tell you straight-up
  • say straight-up

Just angry and mean and straight up ferocious.

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Examples

Synonyms

to tell the truth
vsstraight-up
∞ 2.7

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

is more informal and adds blunt emphasis of completeness
frankly
vsstraight-up
∞ 3.2

In an honest and direct way that may upset or surprise

is less formal and adds stronger blunt emphasis
openly
vsstraight-up
274 1.6

To say or do things without hiding feelings

is more casual and stresses complete openness and truth
tell you the truth
vsstraight-up
  • Informal
265 4.5

Say you are being honest before you speak

is more casual and asserts full, plain truth instead of preface
flat
vsstraight-up
158 4.4

In a direct and blunt way

is more conversational and emphasizes full truth without gloss
straight
vsstraight-up
142 1.6

In an honest and direct way

is the informal, emphatic form stressing absolute honesty
honestly
vsstraight-up
123 1.3

In a truthful way that shows you mean what you say

is more informal and adds emphasis of total truth
directly
vsstraight-up
106 1.4

In a clear honest way, saying what you think

is more casual and signals total, unhidden truth
flat out
vsstraight-up
  • Informal
85 7.0

To say something plainly without hiding feelings

is similar but more informal and stresses no exaggeration
blatantly
vsstraight-up
55 4.8

In a very obvious and shameless way that offends people

is less about offensiveness and more about plain honesty
plain
vsstraight-up
45 2.0

Said in a simple, direct way without hiding the truth

is more informal and stresses complete lack of exaggeration
bluntly
vsstraight-up
36 4.6

In a direct way that is not polite

is more informal and focuses on complete truthful emphasis
point blank
vsstraight-up
  • Informal
35 5.0

In a very direct way without trying to hide anything

is less formal and signals open, wholehearted truth
flatly
vsstraight-up
35 4.6

In a firm way that shows no doubt

is more colloquial and adds emphatic honesty rather than certainty
in all honesty
vsstraight-up
30 3.7

To tell the truth to show you really mean it

is more casual and amplifies that complete honesty
straight-out
vsstraight-up
29 6.1

Completely direct with no doubt or excuse

is more colloquial and stresses total lack of exaggeration
candidly
vsstraight-up
25 4.1

In an honest, direct way without hiding your true thoughts

is more colloquial and insists on full, plain truth
outright
vsstraight-up
20 4.3

Directly and openly, without hiding or delay

is more casual and carries extra emphasis of complete truth
forthrightly
vsstraight-up
6 6.7

In a direct and honest way without hiding anything

is less formal and carries stronger everyday emphasis
straightforwardly
vsstraight-up
5 3.9

In a clear, honest way without hiding anything

is more colloquial and stresses no exaggeration or hiding
unreservedly
vsstraight-up
3 7.1

Completely and without holding back

is more conversational and focuses on plain, total honesty
outrightly
vsstraight-up
1 6.0

In a complete and direct way, without any doubt

is more informal and adds an emphatic honest tone
straight-from-the-shoulder
vsstraight-up
  • Informal
7.7

Direct and honest in speech that does not hide what you think

is more informal and emphasizes wholehearted truthfulness

Antonyms

95 3.7

Hidden so people cannot see it

71 4.1

Made to look bigger or more important than it really is

How Honest

straight-up
  • Informal
144 7.9
frankly
∞ 3.2
honestly
123 1.3
sincerely
165 1.0

Surface Forms

straight-up positive
straight up positive

Morphology

straight-up = straight (semi-transparent) = up + straight

The meaning is an idiomatic intensifier formed from 'straight' + 'up'; components are recognizable but the specific sense 'completely/honestly' is not fully predictable from the parts. [Postprocessing: moved 'up' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Straight-up comes from straight ('direct') plus up ('completely' or 'honestly'); imagine an arrow going straight up, showing something direct and all the way. So, straight-up means 'completely' or 'honestly', with no exaggeration or hiding.