1
as in bending
to cause to turn away from a straight line
the cat arched her back whenever she was stroked
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
the path gradually arches off into the woods
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of arching
With gracefully arching foliage, this evergreen fern is a staple of Southern porches.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
The plant is a clump-forming fern with arching stems.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026
The permanent exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge, an arching wooden structure that once joined the five roads to Edo at the gate to the capital.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano was putting on a spectacular show Tuesday evening, with its latest eruptive episode producing arching bands of red lava higher than some skyscrapers.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
Its arching branches of flat, fleshy leaves are now drooping, leaving the plant looking less like a festive centerpiece and more like a soggy green mop.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2026
Under blistering examination from plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier, who called him as an adverse witness, the Meta chief looked visibly irritated at times, arching his eyebrows and shifting in his chair as he was confronted with a string of internal emails and slide decks.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2026
Over the remainder of the half, the Broncos committed five turnovers and would have been down by even more at the break if not for a high-arching 3-pointer at the buzzer from Buchanan.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
Hold the bridge 3 to 4 inches off the floor — just high enough to avoid arching or straining your lower back.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
The plant is a clump-forming fern with arching stems.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026
The permanent exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge, an arching wooden structure that once joined the five roads to Edo at the gate to the capital.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano was putting on a spectacular show Tuesday evening, with its latest eruptive episode producing arching bands of red lava higher than some skyscrapers.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
Its arching branches of flat, fleshy leaves are now drooping, leaving the plant looking less like a festive centerpiece and more like a soggy green mop.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2026
Under blistering examination from plaintiff’s attorney Mark Lanier, who called him as an adverse witness, the Meta chief looked visibly irritated at times, arching his eyebrows and shifting in his chair as he was confronted with a string of internal emails and slide decks.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2026
Over the remainder of the half, the Broncos committed five turnovers and would have been down by even more at the break if not for a high-arching 3-pointer at the buzzer from Buchanan.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
Hold the bridge 3 to 4 inches off the floor — just high enough to avoid arching or straining your lower back.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arching
Verb
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Video from the area caught a person in gray sweatpants and a black hoodie bending over a cardboard box and appearing to pull out a small puppy.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Following the astronomical success of his genre-bending period film, Mendonça Filho’s inbox is filled to the brim with meeting requests and scripts.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There's no question about the iconic status of Tegallalang, the flawless and highly photogenic rice terraces curving around hillsides and irrigated by the subak system, which has UNESCO status.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Apr. 2026
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All communal areas can be reached by curving but steep paths.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By hooking a solo shot around the Pesky Pole, the lefty swinger finally hit his first dinger of the year off Boston southpaw Payton Tolle.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Already, there’s been an uptick in shark sightings and encounters, with the beach closed recently in Newport Beach and a fisherman hooking and releasing a great white off Manhattan Beach Pier.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lateral deformation and bowing can impact the placement and performance of fuel, and the monobloc construction of these tubes is designed to mitigate those issues.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
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As a bowing line of storms sweeps into our area from the west Tuesday night, the main danger will be straight-line wind gusts of up to 60 mph.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arching. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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