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
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Recent Examples of bend
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The focus is creating wildly fun, commercial, character-driven, genre-bending films.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
As the temperature drops, the cold causes the protein to shift into a more stable state in which one of its key structural pillars bends sharply, breaks away from its neighbor and straightens out.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
Toss in plenty of brutal murders, bizarre prophecies, time-bending enigmas, and haunting hallucinations — all seemingly tied to Lucy’s mysterious meetings with the Hannibal Lecter-like Gideon Shepherd (Peter Capaldi) — and this one's well worth losing six hours of sleep over.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
The focus is creating wildly fun, commercial, character-driven, genre-bending films.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
But the Lakers have become adept at bend-but-don’t-break basketball.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
As the temperature drops, the cold causes the protein to shift into a more stable state in which one of its key structural pillars bends sharply, breaks away from its neighbor and straightens out.
—Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
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The plant is a clump-forming fern with arching stems.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
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According to Archer Western, HDR’s design engineers failed to properly account for wind loads — including hurricane winds — in an initial, partial design for the signature bridge arches that the contractor used to calculate construction costs and time for its bid.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The upper levels are devoted exclusively to computer science, with administrative offices, individual faculty offices, and smaller research and study spaces for students.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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But the destruction cuts deep for the couple, who have devoted their lives to sharing the joy of music.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jackson County could soon take steps aimed to ensure new data centers are not constructed in unincorporated areas of the county, at least temporarily.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
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Under Coffman, Decatur will aim for a championship three-peat next season and continue area leading success in Class 4A.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In another panel, a man and child walk away from the town along a railroad track that curves up and to the left, and then disappears.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
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The Tianjin tower is recognizable for its softly curving glass walls that reduce exposure to wind, sun, and moisture.—
Nathalie Nietzsche-Knappe,
Architectural Digest,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For Wagner specifically, time feels distorted.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Obadia sees the Optimus question as evidence of how the racial framing itself distorts perception.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The boats lay miles of long lines with thousands of hooks attached on the ocean floor.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Katie Holmes love a pair of statement jeans, but she's getting particularly attached to a specific style for summer 2026.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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However, the purely gravitational effects that work on spacetime itself, affecting its curvature, expansion, contraction, or evolution, should affect gravitational waves just as significantly as light gets affected.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Apr. 2026
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This curved gaming monitor has a curvature of 100R, which fills your peripheral vision and keeps you immersed within your playing sessions.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Giants became the first National League team to seven losses, and although 10 games is not a representative sample, there’s never a good time in a season for a team’s most reliable veterans to play sloppily or make decisions on tilt.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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Men’s basketball’s geographic tilt is even more pronounced.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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