unbent
ˌən-ˈbent 
; unbending
; unbending
1
: to free from flexure : make or allow to become straight
unbend a bow
bending and unbending his fingers
2
: to cause to relax : to set at ease for a time
unbend the mind from study
3
a
: to unfasten from a spar or stay
unbend a sail
b
: to cast loose : untie
unbend a rope
1
: to relax one's severity, stiffness, or austerity
She unbent a little at the party.
2
: to cease to be bent : become straight
His fingers were bending and unbending.
Examples of unbend in a Sentence
He was bending and unbending his fingers.
His fingers were bending and unbending.
He unbent a little at the party.
Recent Examples on the Web
After An Enemy of the People, Ibsen got fed up with a public that essentially equated him with that play’s hero, Dr. Stockmann, the unbending idealist who calls out community corruption and has his life torn apart for it.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
The social hierarchy is unbending, but Flora knows she is destined for something greater, even though this puts her at odds with her superiors.
—Vogue, 29 July 2025
Ceaseless in his service, unbending in his dignity, and revered for his commitment to our common humanity.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2024
Conway’s initials tasks were to unbend the chassis, straighten the body, and rebuild the engine.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 2 Dec. 2024
Both scenes are memorable and stunning in a solid, not remarkable, film that warmly celebrates the unbending love shared between a mother and a son and the courage and bravery of Londoners during The Blitz.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Despite some pleas from Trump apologists who still pony up cash to the organizations operating under the Koch umbrella, the leadership remains unbending in their decision to stay out of the presidential race altogether.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024
Enter settlers and swindlers, pioneers and politicians, all bent on unbending the river, ecosystems and human bodies deemed expendable along the way as engineers forced their will on the landscape.
—Meera Subramanian, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
The paper watch sensors survived preliminary stress testing that involved bending and unbending for 300 cycles.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Jan. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2025
The social hierarchy is unbending, but Flora knows she is destined for something greater, even though this puts her at odds with her superiors.
—Vogue, 29 July 2025
Ceaseless in his service, unbending in his dignity, and revered for his commitment to our common humanity.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2024
Conway’s initials tasks were to unbend the chassis, straighten the body, and rebuild the engine.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 2 Dec. 2024
Both scenes are memorable and stunning in a solid, not remarkable, film that warmly celebrates the unbending love shared between a mother and a son and the courage and bravery of Londoners during The Blitz.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Despite some pleas from Trump apologists who still pony up cash to the organizations operating under the Koch umbrella, the leadership remains unbending in their decision to stay out of the presidential race altogether.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 5 Sep. 2024
Enter settlers and swindlers, pioneers and politicians, all bent on unbending the river, ecosystems and human bodies deemed expendable along the way as engineers forced their will on the landscape.
—Meera Subramanian, Scientific American, 14 May 2024
The paper watch sensors survived preliminary stress testing that involved bending and unbending for 300 cycles.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Jan. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Unbend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unbend. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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