Definition of bench
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: 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
2a
: 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
3a
: the office or dignity of an official
b
: a seat for an official
c
: the officials occupying a bench
b
: a table forming part of a machine
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
verb
benched; benching; benches
Definition of bench (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to furnish with benches
2a
: 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
: to form a bench by natural processes
Buying Guide
Our Reviews team has selected the best outdoor furniture.
Test Your Vocabulary
Great Words for Scrabble
-
- Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share bench
Time Traveler for bench
The first known use of bench was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century