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
Judge Gallagher did not make a ruling on the preliminary injunction from the bench.
—
Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Mike Conley looks absolutely cooked off the bench.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Darryn Peterson, who received treatment on his right leg while seated at the end of the bench after playing just six minutes in the second half of Sunday’s 20-point victory over Missouri, practiced full speed on Tuesday, Kansas basketball coach Bill Self told media members Wednesday morning.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025
After Brandon Ingram’s dynamic scoring kept them afloat in the first quarter, the Raptors scored just one bucket — a Scottie Barnes dunk off a broken play — during Ingram’s time on the bench to start the second.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the bench
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Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Mike Conley looks absolutely cooked off the bench.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Darryn Peterson, who received treatment on his right leg while seated at the end of the bench after playing just six minutes in the second half of Sunday’s 20-point victory over Missouri, practiced full speed on Tuesday, Kansas basketball coach Bill Self told media members Wednesday morning.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 10 Dec. 2025
After Brandon Ingram’s dynamic scoring kept them afloat in the first quarter, the Raptors scored just one bucket — a Scottie Barnes dunk off a broken play — during Ingram’s time on the bench to start the second.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 10 Dec. 2025
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 14 Dec. 2025.
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