1
as in to arch
to cause to turn away from a straight line
she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention
bent herself to the task for the rest of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
bent all of his efforts toward making his first documentary film
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in to distort
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of
attorneys bending the facts to put their client in the most favorable light
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curvature
something that curves or is curved
it's hard to see around that bend in the road, so be careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bend
Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The show uses its time-bending conceit to great effect, putting a different flavor on each investigation and letting the era's prejudices impact the detectives.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
The ride travels on an elliptical track and whips riders around bends.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
But having the event at the White House raises more questions about the Fed’s independence at a time when Trump has constantly sought to bend the independent central bank to his will.
—Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The show uses its time-bending conceit to great effect, putting a different flavor on each investigation and letting the era's prejudices impact the detectives.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Noun
The scribble art was placed right in the bend of her knee, with some of the design just barely brushing her lower thigh.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026
The ride travels on an elliptical track and whips riders around bends.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
-
Smith arches over the patient, his body an umbrella to protect the wound.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
Her eyebrows were arched and defined, with brown eyeshadow beaten softly into her eye and lashes feathered out.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Because teams are deciding whether to devote millions of dollars and precious roster spots to occasionally unreliable males in their early twenties, much of a scout’s work is akin to investigative reporting.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The show devotes a lot of screen time to the fallout from a particular revelation and the subsequent efforts to smoke out the mole.—
Kate Lavelle,
Glamour,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Some of Thomas’s critique appeared to be aimed at weak-willed conservatives, including his fellow-Justices, for being, as Thomas perceives it, too spineless to stand up for the ideals enshrined in the Declaration.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
-
Organizers of the flotilla, which aimed to highlight the conditions for the 2 million or so Palestinians in Gaza, said Israeli soldiers fired on five boats during the interdictions, causing some damage.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Gowns and slippers come with blue trims and the curving serif font of The Twenty Two’s quietly cool branding.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
-
The kick curved and popped the back corner of the net, and Kocher ran away with arms outstretched and mouth agape, in slight disbelief of a goal that clinched a 2-1 win — and the third straight girls’ 3A state title for Colorado Academy.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The body does not care about your percentile ranking when the anatomy is distorted, the bleeding starts, and the room becomes quiet.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
Employers know—or should know—that personal relationships can distort workplace decision making, even when no one intends them to.—
William Phillips,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The positions with peril attached are almost all sewn up, with the only real games of note on Sunday coming with Tottenham Hotspur hosting Everton and West Ham United hosting Leeds United — in a fight for 17th place to stay in the division.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
-
Remove the bowl from the heat and attach it to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
The outlet measured the distance between stadiums using the WGS-84 ellipsoidal Earth model, which accounts for the curvature of the earth.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2026
-
The sculptural Monde sofa gives a nod to Art Deco, and the curvature of the Courbe side table channels a form popular in the early 20th century.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
One which changes profoundly with the tilts and turn of the planet, yet its essence holds true.—
Nick Scott,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
-
The best Monday night matchup, though, may be the Week 5 tilt between the Bills and Rams in Los Angeles.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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