Meaning & use
strait and narrow
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
the morally correct and honest way of living, avoiding bad or illegal behavior.
Grammar: Almost always used with 'the': on the straight and narrow. It is not used with 'a' or in the plural.
Patterns
- on the strait and narrow
- keep to the strait and narrow
- walk the strait and narrow
After years of trouble, he decided to follow the strait and narrow.
She tried to keep her son on the strait and narrow.
The sermon urged the congregation to stay on the strait and narrow.
Common combinations
- on the strait and narrow
- He has been on the strait and narrow since he left prison.
- keep someone on the strait and narrow
- Good friends can help keep you on the strait and narrow.
- follow the strait and narrow
- She chose to follow the strait and narrow despite the temptation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- the straight and narrow
- The more common modern version of the same idiom, using 'straight' instead of 'strait'.
- the path of righteousness
- A more religious phrase with a similar meaning, but it is stronger and more formal.
Opposites
Commonly confused: strait and narrow or strait?
strait and narrow vs strait
'Strait' is an old word meaning narrow or strict, and it is also a noun meaning a narrow sea passage. In this idiom it means morally strict, not 'straight' as in direct.
Practice
After his release, he promised his family he would stay on the ______.
Choose one answer.
The fixed idiom is 'the strait and narrow' (or 'the straight and narrow'). The other options change the words or order and are not the established phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “strait and narrow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.