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
Amy Kunst, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Search in bends and folds of skin in areas such as the scalp, in and around the ears, under arms and behind knees, inside the belly button, around the waistline, and between fingers and toes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
This helps so that people aren’t bending.
—Amy Kunst, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Noun
The 2026 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix (GP) is around the bend, beginning Friday, May 1 at the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium and concluding on Sunday, May 3.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Search in bends and folds of skin in areas such as the scalp, in and around the ears, under arms and behind knees, inside the belly button, around the waistline, and between fingers and toes.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
-
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
-
Keep your chest upright, making sure your back doesn't arch or shoulders don’t arch.—
Christa Sgobba,
Health,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The situation stems from the commendable liberal impulse to devote extensive resources to public education.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
-
News outlets devoted round-the-clock coverage to Jackson, and MTV dedicated its programming almost exclusively to the musician.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Andrew is aiming to finish with its best record since a 22-14 showing in 2017.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
The United States and Iran are moving closer to an agreement on a short memorandum that aims to end the Iran war, a regional source familiar with the negotiations sad.—
Alejandra Jaramillo,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The canopy also curves to the shape of Pan Pacific Park’s outdoor amphitheater next to the Goldrich.—
Solvej Schou,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
This architectural marvel, constructed from natural dolomite lime, curves elegantly across a deep gorge and leads straight into a tunnel cut into solid rock.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The first mystery that could be solved involves an ultradense clump of matter detected in the system JVAS B1938+666, which is gravitationally lensed, or visibly distorted, thanks to a quirk of general relativity.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
-
The loans granted by a government to firms may distort competition within the European market and therefore are prohibited by the European Union.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Bidets that can be attached to your toilet and don’t use electricity can cost around $30, and toilet seats with fancy options such as heated water and air dryers can exceed $600.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
There is always pressure attached to El Clasico, but this weekend’s meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid feels bigger than most.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
The usually straight path of light gets curved along the warp, with the degree of curvature dictated by how close to the object of mass the light passes.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
To achieve such a high curvature, the team took advantage of differences in the contraction and expansion of individual layers caused by physical stresses in the material resulting from the fabrication process.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nick’s Restaurants is taking another ride through Orange County, this time with a Western tilt.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
The current maps yielded a 20 to 8 Republican tilt in 2024.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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