arching

verb

present participle of arch
1
as in bending
to cause to turn away from a straight line the cat arched her back whenever she was stroked

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2
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course the path gradually arches off into the woods

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arching The footage shows a coronal loop arcade — a series of arching loops of hot plasma shaped by the sun's magnetic field — extending high above the solar limb, or apparent edge of the sun. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Video captured from the drone’s perspective and released on Facebook, shows the frustrated bobcat standing by a staircase, growling and arching its back at the hovering machine. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026 In the opposite direction, open the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin to the sky. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Keeping your thighs aligned, bend one knee and bring your heel toward your buttocks without arching your back. — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, HEALTH, 13 Aug. 2026 The combination of a moonless sky and the Milky Way arching overhead could make this the standout night for skywatching all year. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The name comes from the footlong, fluffy white flower clusters at the ends of arching stems. — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026 Iris van Herpen incorporated plasma into her final look, Helix Nebula, through two glass tubes arching around the shoulders of the dress. — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 10 July 2026 Pay Attention to Plant Form Plants come in a wide range of shapes, from arching to columnar to spreading. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arching
  1. bending
  2. curving
  3. hooking
  4. bowing
Verb
  • Another shows her bending over backwards in a yoga pose as the sun goes down behind her.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Automatic Dustpan Sweep dirt, dust and debris straight into the EyeVac without bending over to chase down the last crumb.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of bending
Verb
  • And weighty ropes—the sort that might be used to moor a boat—are braided with chains and arranged on the ground in the form of a curving river.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The designer’s signature heeled shoes, first introduced in 1959, feature a distinctive inward-curving heel, and comes in four styles, including pumps, slingback heels, boots, and cuissardes.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of curving
Verb
  • One of the more memorable instances finds Cole grabbing an open padlock off a door and using it to belt an opponent across the face before hooking the shackle into the dude’s mouth and using it to rip open his cheek.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The toys have cross-generational appeal, as well, hooking kids, teens, adults and the collector market.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of hooking
Verb
  • Standing in a holding pen for inmates, wearing orange jail attire, Holdo looked back at Savery almost admiringly, at times bowing his head.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As with most festivals, the majority of the movies bowing in Venice don’t deal directly with politics.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of bowing

Browse Nearby Words

archfoes
arching
architect
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Cite this Entry

“Arching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arching. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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