bend 1 of 2

1
2
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
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the stream bends slightly to the east

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6

bend

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bend
Verb
That prior nod now tees them up for Grammy voters, as do their genre-bending sophomore album, Submarine, captivating frontwoman (María Zardoya) and star-making set at Coachella 2025. Lori Majewski, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025 Hawes leads into the contact with good technique and a knee bend to be able to withstand the contact from the much more powerful Jordan. Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
The tech — Loomia Electronic Layer (LEL) — is a flexible circuit sheet that bends, sketches, and survives in fabrics while carrying functions such as heating, lighting, or pressure detection. Jamie Landeau, Refinery29, 24 Sep. 2025 Now, the logic board is just at the top, where a bend is less likely to occur, and the battery is more resilient. Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
  • Such ambiguity works to the film’s advantage, as Leonberg focuses on Indy’s face and lets audiences project our own feelings onto the cocked head, the questioning expression, his brows arched in either curiosity or concern.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Old-fashioned abelias with their arching shape need to be cut back to the ground every year.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Late in The Gales of November, Bacon — who’s written books on leadership and college football, among other topics — devotes two chapters to Lightfoot’s epic ballad.
    John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Michaels is devoting about 25% of space in its stores to this new venture while also launching a party concept.
    Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • China's Tianwen 3 mission aims to launch in late 2028 and return Mars material to Earth in 2031.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Here the set becomes a comedy generator, a set of curving sides that Reeves can lean against and slide bonelessly down.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Roll up each triangle, starting at wide end, and curve edges slightly to form a crescent shape.
    Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The impermanence of our digital footprint, especially in this age of AI scraping and incomplete catalog streaming, is distorting our story.
    Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Some slot right in; others distort and cramp.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • So, Hiro made a chamber that attached to Johnson’s eyelid.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 4 Oct. 2025
  • His defensiveness and insulting you and dismissing your feelings, in my opinion means he's emotionally attached to her, especially with the nickname.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This difference in curvature corresponds to a disagreement as to what the zero-point energy of space is.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Its outstanding appeal, grandish curvatures and extraordinary interior design are just the norm for the upscale interior brand.
    Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Irving is in his second season with the Buccaneers, who enter the contest at 3-1 after dropping their Week 4 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles.
    Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Immediately pour sugar mixture into prepared cake pan; tilt pan to spread evenly.
    Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!