bench

1 of 2

noun

ˈbench 

1

a

: a long seat for two or more persons

b

: a thwart in a boat

c(1)

: a seat on which the members of an athletic team await a turn or opportunity to play

(2)

: the reserve players on a team

broadly : a reserve force

2

a

: the seat where a judge sits in court

b

: the place where justice is administered : court

c

: the office or dignity of a judge

sat on the bench for 20 years

d

: the persons who sit as judges

3

a

: the office or dignity of an official

b

: a seat for an official

c

: the officials occupying a bench

4

a

: a long worktable

also : laboratory

bench chemist

bench test

b

: a table forming part of a machine

5

: terrace, shelf: such as

a

: a former wave-cut shore of a sea or lake or floodplain of a river

b

: a shelf or ridge formed in working an open excavation on more than one level

6

: a compartmented platform on which dogs or cats are kept at a show when not being judged

bench

2 of 2

verb

benched; benching; benches

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with benches

2

a

: to seat on a bench

b(1)

: to remove from or keep out of a game

broadly : to remove from use or from a position

(2)

: to remove from the starting lineup

3

: to exhibit (dogs or cats) to the public on a bench

4

: to lift (a weight) in a bench press

bench 200 pounds

intransitive verb

: to form a bench by natural processes

Synonyms

Noun

• judge
• court

Examples of bench in a Sentence

Noun

The lawyer asked if he could approach the bench.

her recent appointment to the bench

Verb

The manager benched one of his most popular players.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Adding Horford would give New York a valuable bench center. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025

For the first time in American history, the U.S. Department of Justice has sued an entire bench of federal justices, targeting all 15 judges of the U.S. District Court of Maryland. —Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025

Verb

However, if the Yankees want to reach their World Series aspirations, LeMahieu may have to be benched or moved. —Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025

Bonner had been benched after starting the first three games in Indiana and had missed the last five due to personal reasons. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English benc; akin to Old High German bank bench

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Phrases Containing bench

• bench jockey
• bench mark
• bench press
• bench seat
• bench warrant
• coming off the bench
• deacon's bench
• front bench
• optical bench
• the bench

Rhymes for bench

• clench
• drench
• quench
• stench
• tench
• trench
• wench
• wrench
• entrench
• retrench
• workbench

Kids Definition

bench

1 of 2 noun

ˈbench 

1

a

: a long seat for two or more persons

b

: a seat where the members of a team wait for a chance to play

2

a

: the seat where a judge sits in a court of law

b

: the position or rank of a judge

appointed to the bench

c

: a person or persons engaged in judging

3

a

: a long table for holding tools and work

b

: shelf sense 2

bench

2 of 2 verb

1

: to furnish with benches

2

: to seat on a bench

3

: to remove from or keep out of a game

Legal Definition

bench

noun

1

: the place where a judge sits in court

asked counsel to approach the bench

compare bar sense 1a, dock, jury box, sidebar, stand

2

: the court or system of courts serving an area

the federal bench

3

a

: the office of a judge

appointed to the bench

b

: the body of persons who hold positions as judges

members of the bench and bar

compare bar sense 2a

c

: a judge or panel of judges hearing a case

unless the lawyer is responding to a question from the bench

—R. H. Bork

Biographical Definition

Bench

biographical name

ˈbench 

Johnny (Lee) 1947–     American baseball player