1
as in judge
a public official having authority to decide questions of law
appealed to the bench for leniency
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2
as in tribunal
an assembly of persons for the administration of justice
a ruling from the bench is expected any day now
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bench
Add seating such as chairs, a bench or a swing.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Down by Van Cleef lake, Suffrage Park includes a shelter with benches and a splash of green lawn.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
This technique works particularly well on sofas with large, removable bench-style cushions.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
Without Soto and Baty, the Mets’ bench is already limited.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bench
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Down by Van Cleef lake, Suffrage Park includes a shelter with benches and a splash of green lawn.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
This technique works particularly well on sofas with large, removable bench-style cushions.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 5 Apr. 2026
Without Soto and Baty, the Mets’ bench is already limited.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bench
Noun
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Trever Nehls was also defeated in a 2022 race for Fort Bend County judge by three percentage points.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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When the populist demagogue Willie Stark orders Burden, journalist turned gumshoe, to dig up dirt on a local judge, Burden demurs; certainly there are no skeletons in the office of the good judge.—
Brenda Wineapple,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The law is set to take effect in 30 days but its implementation could be delayed by pending court proceedings at Israel’s highest tribunal.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
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The law is not retroactive and will not apply to October 7 suspects, though a separate bill could still establish a special tribunal with capital punishment for those cases.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The court case and admissions Solway and her attorney filed a petition to remove her brother as power-of-attorney and trustee of the family trust in December 2023 in Walworth County Civil Court.—
Carol Thompson,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon, following a morning court hearing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bench. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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