1
as in to arch
to cause to turn away from a straight line
she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
bent herself to the task for the rest of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
bent all of his efforts toward making his first documentary film
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to distort
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of
attorneys bending the facts to put their client in the most favorable light
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curvature
something that curves or is curved
it's hard to see around that bend in the road, so be careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bend
Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Low frequencies, which bend around obstacles more easily, held up.
—Yook Jihun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
Even modest savings per bend add up.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
Enter the 2026 Chevrolet Trax, a compact crossover that bends the needle toward sanity and affordability.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Low frequencies, which bend around obstacles more easily, held up.
—Yook Jihun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
As the temperature drops, the cold causes the protein to shift into a more stable state in which one of its key structural pillars bends sharply, breaks away from its neighbor and straightens out.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
Even modest savings per bend add up.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
-
Sami’s hair and beard were gray, and his thick eyebrows arched over his tired walnut eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The front of the mouse arches down and spreads wide, suggesting the noggin of the snake it's named after.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Illinois devotes significant resources to recruiting overseas to bring in their large international contingent — including Croatian twin centers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić and freshman forward David Mirković.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Aleksei stopped working and devoted his full attention to his sons and their hockey development, leaving Olga to support the family.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
During oral arguments, several conservative justices questioned the legal foundation and practical enforcement of the policy, which aims to deny citizenship to some children born in the United States to undocumented or temporary immigrant parents.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The program is part of Film Independent’s broader Artist Development initiatives, which aim to support emerging filmmakers through labs, mentorship and grants.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Arbat might even derive from gorbat (hunchback), because the road curved in and around streams.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
On the exterior of a white-walled building with a curving roof—a production facility where steel parts for the company’s eponymous pistol are manufactured—hung an enormous billboard.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Objects were frequently distorted or missing key components.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Their shapes often distort as one galaxy exerts tidal forces on the other.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The day began with introductions in a garage attached to the gym.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The suspects then drove away with the ATM attached to the vehicle, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This curved gaming monitor has a curvature of 100R, which fills your peripheral vision and keeps you immersed within your playing sessions.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That’s how spatial curvature works.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The center features a video wall where feeds from license plate readers and pan tilt zoom cameras are monitored.—
Leondra Head,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In a South Coast Conference tilt, Akira’Ley Vazquez and Olivia Araujo each finished two-for-four, hitting a home run respectively as Greater New Bedford cruised to a 5-1 victory over Seekonk.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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