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 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
Infiniti’s nomination follows an outcry over her exclusion from the Academy Awards, with co-star Leonardo DiCaprio among those arching an eyebrow.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
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
Infiniti’s nomination follows an outcry over her exclusion from the Academy Awards, with co-star Leonardo DiCaprio among those arching an eyebrow.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arching
Verb
-
Corridor 109 is also home to a tandem cocktail bar, Bar 109, which debuted in 2025 and serves genre-bending cocktails, plus bites such as Wagyu hot dogs.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
-
After the shooting, Heyward dropped the gun — accidentally shooting herself in the right foot while bending down to pick it up — then walked to the back of the car and removed the license plate, placed it inside, and sped off, deputies say.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With the main entrance positioned above the building, visitors access the wellness center via a descending staircase and a gently curving ramp.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
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The changes will close much of the park, including the Greek Theater, Central Promenade, and South Plaza of Civic Center, where big festivals often set up stages and vendors line the curving sidewalks.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If any one case is thrown out, Trump’s allies will just try again, hooking onto any conceivable excuse until both your will and your resources are depleted.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The trial is a test case, known as a bellwether, tied to about 2,000 other pending lawsuits brought by parents and school districts arguing that social media giants should be considered manufacturers of defective products for hooking a generation of young people to social media feeds.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Environmental groups that have held Toyota up for years as a laggard on EVs offered a much less charitable take, saying the Japanese manufacturer is simply bowing now to their years of pressure to urge them to press the gas on electric cars as the world's largest carmaker.—
Keith Laing,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Food is prepared and offered; soju is poured; there’s bowing, candles, a special table and floor mat, and absolutely no shoes.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arching. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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