1
as in arches
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 devotes
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 aims
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 curves
to turn away from a straight line or course
the stream bends slightly to the east
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in distorts
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 attaches
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curvatures
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
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Recent Examples of bends
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
Low-impact trekking and homestays offer rare access to a region where human presence still bends to nature’s terms.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
The historic surge was attributed in part to the comeback activities of BTS following their military hiatus — hard proof that the septet’s cultural gravity bends entire economies.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
When the victim bends down to place the package at the home, the video shows the suspect striking him and knocking him to the ground, hitting him repeatedly.
—Mamie Bah, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The design works by tracking how red, green, and blue light attenuate differently as the sensor bends.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
In the footage the woman bends, loops her fingers around the laces, once, twice, grass stains on her knees.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Enter the 2026 Chevrolet Trax, a compact crossover that bends the needle toward sanity and affordability.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The Niger River rises from its source in the Republic of Guinea and arcs north into Mali, then bends south through Niger and northern Nigeria.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Finch Walker, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The fjord bends, combined with the ship being far enough away and in deep water, were key factors that saved them.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Don’t miss the short climb to Woodstock Tower for a panoramic look at the river’s famous bends.
—Hayley Hutson, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 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
When the Kairos corners, its rear wheels tilt too, enabling it to lean into bends.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Grief lives most vibrantly in the periods where your life stretches and bends, the loss constant while life propels forward.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 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
By contrast, the second joint in each leg bends readily, but only sideways and outward, favoring efficient lateral locomotion.
—Manjishtha Bhattacharyya, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
Most prominently was Hugh Hayden’s permanent new sculpture, a functioning chapel that ingeniously bends at an acute angle.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026
Low-impact trekking and homestays offer rare access to a region where human presence still bends to nature’s terms.
—Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026
The historic surge was attributed in part to the comeback activities of BTS following their military hiatus — hard proof that the septet’s cultural gravity bends entire economies.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2026
When the victim bends down to place the package at the home, the video shows the suspect striking him and knocking him to the ground, hitting him repeatedly.
—Mamie Bah, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The design works by tracking how red, green, and blue light attenuate differently as the sensor bends.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
In the footage the woman bends, loops her fingers around the laces, once, twice, grass stains on her knees.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Enter the 2026 Chevrolet Trax, a compact crossover that bends the needle toward sanity and affordability.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The Niger River rises from its source in the Republic of Guinea and arcs north into Mali, then bends south through Niger and northern Nigeria.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
The ride travels on an elliptical track and whips riders around bends.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 8 May 2026
The fjord bends, combined with the ship being far enough away and in deep water, were key factors that saved them.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Don’t miss the short climb to Woodstock Tower for a panoramic look at the river’s famous bends.
—Hayley Hutson, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 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
When the Kairos corners, its rear wheels tilt too, enabling it to lean into bends.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Grief lives most vibrantly in the periods where your life stretches and bends, the loss constant while life propels forward.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 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
By contrast, the second joint in each leg bends readily, but only sideways and outward, favoring efficient lateral locomotion.
—Manjishtha Bhattacharyya, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bends
Verb
-
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
-
The front of the mouse arches down and spreads wide, suggesting the noggin of the snake it's named after.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Teddy currently devotes his time to Turner Enterprises and has served on the board of several organizations.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
-
Illinois devotes significant resources to recruiting overseas to bring in their large international contingent — including Croatian twin centers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivišić and freshman forward David Mirković.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The chips are expected to play a key role in Nvidia's upcoming Vera Rubin AI architecture, which aims to power advanced AI workloads in data centers.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The Page style has a narrow slingback strap, a slim stiletto heel and an open front that curves into a small, petal-like peep-toe rather than a sharp cutout.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
-
At the top right is the head of the dry river bed — where the life-size heron statue is — and the bed curves down to the driveway on the left.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
But the idea that an AI bot can determine a verdict by assessing evidence distorts the meaning of legal judgment.—
Sonali Chakravarti,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
-
The synthesis process consists of mixing bismuth ferrite with barium titanate to carefully engineer a strain, then growing the mixture as a thin film on a substrate that distorts its crystal structure.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Whatever baggage attaches to Ben Lerner and his novels disappears, and what is left is the experience, for me, a powerful, even indelible experience.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
And yet dealmaking, the act that initiates the entire relationship, operates in a kind of contractual no-man’s-land where no clock runs and no consequence attaches to delay.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Posture Changes Spine curvatures can make standing up straight difficult, causing lower right back pain.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
True, the Avs have been stuck in second gear over the first three tilts of this series, and there probably won’t be a fifth game.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But the idea is that putting on clothes that are more formal tilts you more towards that abstract side.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bends. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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