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
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
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 14 May 2025
Entitled passengers often try to bend the boarding rules or simply cut the line to get on the pane sooner, hoping not to be caught.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 14 May 2025
Percy Brown, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2025
To stretch and strengthen your feet, try the following:
To stretch the calf and heel, try heel cord stretches: Stand facing a wall, placing the unaffected leg forward with a slight knee bend and the affected leg straight behind with the heel flat.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
The goofy novelty of AI making adequate songs out of taboo subjects will fade, but millions bending the knee to robotic mediocrity isn’t going away anytime soon.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 14 May 2025
Entitled passengers often try to bend the boarding rules or simply cut the line to get on the pane sooner, hoping not to be caught.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 14 May 2025
Noun
The cards were stacked against us, though; the turkeys quickly disappeared around a bend in the canyon, half a mile below, still going strong.
—Percy Brown, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2025
To stretch and strengthen your feet, try the following:
To stretch the calf and heel, try heel cord stretches: Stand facing a wall, placing the unaffected leg forward with a slight knee bend and the affected leg straight behind with the heel flat.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
-
Some arch their bodies upward, extending feathery tentacles into the water to capture plankton.—
Katarina Zimmer,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 May 2025
-
Foliage is held on long arching stems tinged with maroon hues.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Some 41 years later in 2024 and have devoted herself to a successful political career, adult Marlene strives to make meaningful societal change.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 May 2025
-
Arantxa devotes half her verse to saying her name, Dovima looks bored, Vulcano is an awkward, lumbering giant, and everyone looks like they’re dressed for a different universe.—
Barry Levitt,
Vulture,
12 May 2025
Verb
-
The prestigious pilot initiative, developed by South Africa’s Big World Cinema in collaboration with the Bertha Foundation, aims to tackle persistent industry barriers faced by mid-career African film and television producers.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
21 May 2025
-
The fruit of two years of research, the project aims to chronicle the legendary tenor’s life from his boyhood in Modena, Italy, to his confirmation as a star at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the 1970s.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Her one-shoulder design was perfectly tailored to curve to her body for sleek yet stylish sophistication.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
5 May 2025
-
Jay Hook had a degree in engineering and was the rare pitcher who could explain how a curveball curves.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Verb
-
Weekly figures by their very nature tend to be volatile, and when viewed alone could just be noise distorting the underlying trend.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
13 May 2025
-
The idea was to first represent the optimism of America, which then dissipated into this darkness, which shifted, melted and distorted into an evil-looking clown.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Verb
-
The creator replaced it with a nearly identical bronze statue shortly after, but moved its location to private property nearby and attached it to concrete and metal rods.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2025
-
The attorney will take point dealing with all the legalities attached to the accident and will deal directly with the other driver’s insurance.—
LyssaNoel Frater,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Last year, Kiké Hernández did the same thing after discovering astigmatism (a condition caused by imperfections in the curvature of the eye that can impact vision) in his own right eye.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
-
How pet tracker technology works The technology works by identifying unique features of each animal — from eye shape and whisker length to unusual markings and tail curvature.—
Analisa Novak,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
By analyzing those subtle orbital tilts, the researchers were able to reverse-engineer Jupiter's primordial size and magnetic strength, according to the new study.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
21 May 2025
-
The stack of condos at One Seaport (a.k.a 161 Maiden Lane) stands forlorn and unfinished for now, since a three-inch tilt and a scrimmage of lawsuits brought construction to a halt.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share