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
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Recent Examples of bends
Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Harvest the flowers as the buds first begin to open and when the stem still bends easily.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 June 2026
Build a fair number upstream, and the appeals layer downstream quietly bends it back.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Their goal is to reproduce a 1919 eclipse experiment that measured how the sun’s gravity bends the light from distant stars and confirmed Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, according to the Spanish Scientific and Advisory Committee for the Trio of Eclipses.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
The responder then bends down to gently stroke the bird before getting another idea.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Seay bends down in the hallway and leans in.
—Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
That film explores female vengeance and bends the idea of a period drama.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
From here, the route bends toward Athlone — a perfect excuse to step into Sean’s Bar, the world’s oldest pub, for a quick pint and a look at its 9th-century wattle‑and‑wicker walls.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
Nine goals for your country is not the tally of a player who transforms teams and bends tournaments to their will.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 June 2026
But just around a few bends in the sandstone walls, life began to appear.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Humidity, altitude, wind, and even temperature can subtly affect how much the ball bends during flight.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Trollstigen, the famous mountain road of tight hairpin bends, is another major draw.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Tired of losing water pressure because of bends in your garden hose?
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026
Everything from trees to octopuses bends and twists.
—New Atlas, 19 May 2026
Verb
When Georgie bends down and peers into the drain, a pair of eyes stare back at him.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Harvest the flowers as the buds first begin to open and when the stem still bends easily.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 June 2026
Build a fair number upstream, and the appeals layer downstream quietly bends it back.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Their goal is to reproduce a 1919 eclipse experiment that measured how the sun’s gravity bends the light from distant stars and confirmed Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, according to the Spanish Scientific and Advisory Committee for the Trio of Eclipses.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
The responder then bends down to gently stroke the bird before getting another idea.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Seay bends down in the hallway and leans in.
—Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
That film explores female vengeance and bends the idea of a period drama.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
From here, the route bends toward Athlone — a perfect excuse to step into Sean’s Bar, the world’s oldest pub, for a quick pint and a look at its 9th-century wattle‑and‑wicker walls.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Noun
Few officials have studied more carefully how the global energy system bends and buckles under pressure.
—Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
Nine goals for your country is not the tally of a player who transforms teams and bends tournaments to their will.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 14 June 2026
But just around a few bends in the sandstone walls, life began to appear.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Humidity, altitude, wind, and even temperature can subtly affect how much the ball bends during flight.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Trollstigen, the famous mountain road of tight hairpin bends, is another major draw.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Tired of losing water pressure because of bends in your garden hose?
—Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026
Everything from trees to octopuses bends and twists.
—New Atlas, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bends
Verb
-
Smith arches over the patient, his body an umbrella to protect the wound.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
The protective netting that arches over so many of the roads in the eastern Donbas region – stopping drones in their tracks – is not your friend here, but a limitation on movement.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite the elegiac tone, Jill also devotes much of the book to the social side of being first lady.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
4 June 2026
-
The malware devotes considerable attention to CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous delivery) systems, which allow for faster and more reliable software releases by automating the building, testing, and deploying of code changes.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
By providing early warning, Vision Guard aims to give troops additional time to respond before a drone can conduct surveillance or deliver an attack.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
-
Departing from traditional geographical or chronological arrangements, the show aims to take advantage of the layout of the galleries, which encircle a courtyard and allow multiple entry points.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Phoebe Philo’s version, a backless white tank with a dramatic ruffle that curves across the waist and up the shoulder blades transforms the silhouette into an avant-garde sculpture.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
15 June 2026
-
About half a mile from the high school, the road curves to the left.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Progressives across the country have spent years arguing that unlimited outside spending distorts democracy, empowers wealthy interests, and undermines trust in government.—
Julie Won,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
-
This lyrical collection from B Batchelor—a 2025 Haymarket Writing Freedom Fellow, and a recipient of multiple awards from PEN America—explores the way incarceration distorts time.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Compared with tilted plastic rafts used in warmer climates, this design attaches flexible solar panels directly to thick, waterproof foam sheets, reducing wind exposure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
-
This imaging test uses a tracer that attaches to PSMA proteins, allowing doctors to identify where prostate cancer cells may be located throughout the body.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
There are hardly any flat architectural surfaces, and NAUSICAÄ is shaped by curvatures and louvred details.—
Bill Springer,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
In ’94 and ’95 with the Vikings, Moon had averaged seven tilts per season of at least 275 passing yards.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
1 June 2026
-
One which changes profoundly with the tilts and turn of the planet, yet its essence holds true.—
Nick Scott,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bends. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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