the bench
noun
1
law
: the place where a judge sits in a court of law
The lawyer asked if he could approach the bench.
2
: a long seat where the members of a sports team wait during a game for a chance to play
He spent most of his season on the bench.
He plays better coming off the bench.
Examples of the bench in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Keeper Dominik Livaković is keeping Croatia alive with three saves within about a minute just before the teams returned to the bench for a hydration break.
—
Monica Alba, NBC news, 24 June 2026
The 6-foot-9 Jefferson, who transferred to Iowa State after two years in Moraga, is considered a plug-and-play contributor off the bench.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
Rookie Madina Okot had a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes off the bench.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 23 June 2026
The challenge for manager Roberto Martinez is not deciding whether Ronaldo should ride the bench, but determining how to maximize his impact throughout a demanding tournament.
—Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the bench
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Monica Alba, NBC news, 24 June 2026
The 6-foot-9 Jefferson, who transferred to Iowa State after two years in Moraga, is considered a plug-and-play contributor off the bench.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 24 June 2026
Rookie Madina Okot had a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes off the bench.
—Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 23 June 2026
The challenge for manager Roberto Martinez is not deciding whether Ronaldo should ride the bench, but determining how to maximize his impact throughout a demanding tournament.
—Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the bench
Cite this Entry
“The bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bench. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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