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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
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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
Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
The government’s solutions to bending the cost curve have largely failed and, in some cases, unintentionally exacerbated underlying problems, the focus of my last book, Bringing Value to Healthcare.
—Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Jacob Louraine, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025
Rent from any of the various sports equipment centers in town, lather up with sunscreen, and float down the crystal clear river where alpine vistas are always just around the bend.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
Wilkinson’s conservative pedigree may complicate White House efforts to credibly assail him as a left-leaning jurist bent on thwarting the Trump administration’s agenda for political purposes, a fallback line of attack when judicial decisions run counter to the president’s wishes.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
The government’s solutions to bending the cost curve have largely failed and, in some cases, unintentionally exacerbated underlying problems, the focus of my last book, Bringing Value to Healthcare.
—Rita Numerof, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
Columbia Rounding the bend with just two laps remaining in Saturday’s 3,000-meter final, Missouri’s Drew Rogers ran in the eighth position, hugging the back of the lead pack.
—Jacob Louraine, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2025
Rent from any of the various sports equipment centers in town, lather up with sunscreen, and float down the crystal clear river where alpine vistas are always just around the bend.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
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In the bottom of the first inning on Opening Day 2023, Aaron Judge clobbered a high, arching narrative over the center-field wall, and that was it.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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This tough shrub puts on a stunning spring display, with showy rose-like blooms lining gracefully arching branches.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The organization devoted a team to research fan sections across college sports, European leagues and around the world, which eventually led to the concept for The Wall.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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The store also devoted four windows on Fifth Avenue to the collection, which will remain through April 30.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After several years of blockbuster growth in the remodeling and design business, the White House’s erratic rollout of tariffs aimed at reshaping global trade is already taking a toll.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2025
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Instead of jail time, Ballot Measure 110 aimed to expand addiction treatment services in a state that ranked last in such offerings nationwide, through hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue redirected from a cannabis tax and savings resulting from reductions in arrests and incarceration.—
Jason Motlagh,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Concave tiles, which curve inward, and convex tiles, which curve outward, are installed at different levels along the seawall.—
Sara Pezeshk,
The Conversation,
16 Apr. 2025
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After completing Slither Housing in 2000, an angular yet gently curved 105-unit apartment building in Japan’s Gifu prefecture, the husband-and-wife team increasingly turned its attentions to cultural architecture.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The references to nineteenth-century American literary heroes and ideals may be distorted, but the ideals find an authentic embodiment in these calmly rapturous images of nature.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Although some in the media distort the anger directed at Rowling from trans activists, trans people, and allies, the truth is those feelings — not just anger, but betrayal and grief — are justified.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Oyster larvae can then attach to the shells, their preferred surface, and develop into mature oysters to help rebuild the habitat.—
Jillian Freyer,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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Proceeds from companies that paid for their names to be attached to the event benefit the nonprofit White House Historical Association, the lead organizer of the egg roll.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In June 1990, NASA announced the discovery of a spherical aberration on Hubble's primary mirror due to a 2-micron mistake in the curvature of the telescope's primary mirror — about 1/50 the width of a human hair.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Firefly released an image Friday showing a glint of sunlight reaching around the curvature of the Earth, some 250,000 miles (402,000 kilometers) away.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Martin: Turning to some specific conflicts, there are European leaders, both publicly and privately, that have expressed some shock at what seems to be an American tilt toward Russia in these negotiations over the war in Ukraine.—
Michel Martin,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2025
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The tilt towards Spanberger may be a product of greater name recognition, Keena said, and with several months to go, the door is open for either candidate.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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