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
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
The delicate pink, red, or white flowers on arching stems appear in late spring, blooming for up to six weeks in cooler hardiness zones.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 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
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
The delicate pink, red, or white flowers on arching stems appear in late spring, blooming for up to six weeks in cooler hardiness zones.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 10 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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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was the first to treat the world to the brain-bending sight of a rocket landing itself.—
Arianna Huffington,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
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This may occur due to the neck bending forward, compressing the veins, the authors suggested.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The mattress's latex core has a five-zone structure that provides varying levels of firmness tailored to support different areas of your body — with the most enhanced support in the mid-section to prevent your back from curving or sagging.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Hiding in a labyrinth of gardens and more than 50 art installations, private bungalows and three-bedroom villas with freshwater pools overlook Crete’s curving, mountainous coastline.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One key to detecting bites and hooking cool-water crappies lies in understanding the way the fish feed.—
Cory Schmidt,
Outdoor Life,
15 Apr. 2026
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For example, when Athena hits a step or an obstacle, the front flippers extend forward and upward, hooking onto the ledge before pulling up the rest of the robot and stabilizing it.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
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At the adjacent Western Wall in the Old City — the holiest site in the world where Jews can pray — dozens of men and women were seen bowing their heads in prayer.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arching. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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