straight line
Shortest between points
A straight line is the shortest path between two points, extending infinitely in both directions without curving or bending.
In geometry, it's the most fundamental element—defined by any two points.
The phrase often emphasizes directness: Draw a straight line from A to B.
Figuratively, in a straight line suggests the most efficient route or approach.
- directUndeviating or to guide
- as the crow fliesDirect distance, ignoring terrain
- segmentDistinct part of whole
- pathRoute for traveling
- rayNarrow light emission
beeline · plumb · axis · geodesic · displacement · perpendicular · trajectory · chord · parallel · slope · tangent · vector · point · ruled paper · coordinate · streak · rigid · level
- linesparallel lines, intersecting lines, dotted, dashed, curved
- flight patternsflight path, holding pattern, traffic pattern, landing pattern, V formation
- trajectoriestrajectory, arc, path, parabola, flight path
- depreciationdepreciation, vehicle depreciation, accelerated, accumulated, amortization
- proofreading marksdele, stet, insert, transpose, caret
- math termsnumbers, plus or minus, square, operand, division
straight linezigzag
Angled back-and-forth path
squiggle · scribble · jagged line · random walk · broken line
line, straight, linear, straightforward, straighter, straightest, straight lines, straights, straightness