bent 1 of 3

chiefly British

bent

2 of 3

noun

bent

3 of 3

verb

past tense of bend
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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bent are aptitude, faculty, genius, gift, knack, and talent. While all these words mean "a special ability for doing something," bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

When would aptitude be a good substitute for bent?

While the synonyms aptitude and bent are close in meaning, aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

When is faculty a more appropriate choice than bent?

The synonyms faculty and bent are sometimes interchangeable, but faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

In what contexts can genius take the place of bent?

Although the words genius and bent have much in common, genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

When might gift be a better fit than bent?

The words gift and bent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

Where would knack be a reasonable alternative to bent?

In some situations, the words knack and bent are roughly equivalent. However, knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

When is it sensible to use talent instead of bent?

The meanings of talent and bent largely overlap; however, talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

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 bent
Adjective
The sophomore is listed at 231 pounds but bent physics to his will, blowing up Kevin Bauman (260 pounds) and Joe Otting (297 pounds). Pete Sampson, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 But Sammie’s song also unwittingly beckons sinister interlopers all the way from North Carolina, bent on making that freedom short-lived. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Neither of his games asks much more of the player than an ability to move through a 3-D space; what distinguishes them is their philosophical bent and penchant for narrative tricks. Christopher Byrd, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2025 Despite Musk's previously seemingly liberal public bent and Trump's harsh past criticisms of electric vehicles, the two unlikely bedfellows have forged a close alliance. Alana Wise, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
Adjective
  • Evans' latest film, Havoc, stars Tom Hardy as Walker, an unsavory fixer tasked with protecting the son of real estate tycoon Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker) after the kid stumbles into a plot involving the Yakuza, crooked cops, and other assorted goons.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Rooker plays Steve, a crooked detective with a ruthless streak who holds the key to Hammer’s only weakness.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Their nastiness and tendency to cross the line showed up a couple of hours earlier.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Providing learning opportunities to help team members understand their natural tendencies and work styles, along with facilitated workshops, can support trust-building and foster more effective collaboration and a thriving culture.
    Kerri Sutey, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • So often during their rise to becoming one of the NHL’s top teams during the past few years, the Florida Panthers have shown a knack for rallying late.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Michelle Gage Interiors has a knack for breathing new life into historic homes, including a 1787 farmhouse in New Jersey and an 1800s town house in Rittenhouse Square.
    Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Brown devoted Wednesdays to mobility and conditioning after years of just incorporating it into his daily workouts.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The special section of Art Bulletin—which, as the discipline’s flagship journal, constitutes a semiofficial statement about AI’s importance in the field—devoted the majority of its space to critical commentary about the application of computer vision to works of art.
    Sonja Drimmer, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • An immigration surge prior to last year’s homeless count likely distorted the picture of homelessness in the country, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis of research by University of Pennsylvania professor Dennis Culhane, a leading national expert on homelessness.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • But the excitement over defeating the evil scientists and saving the damsel is distorted by the sound of Gemma’s distressed cries.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Each wing of the sofa is assembled separately, and then attached to each other at the corner.
    Meg Kernahan, Architectural Digest, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The researcher prompted the AI LLM (large language model) to find a user’s contact details, develop a malicious PowerShell script, and then create an email lure to which the script was attached.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Without resources or expertise to vet influencers properly, these companies become vulnerable to deceptive practices.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • In 2022, the California DMV sued Tesla, saying the company engaged in deceptive marketing and advertising practices around its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.
    Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The unusual trajectory aligned the Falcon 9 with a perfectly polar orbit at an inclination of 90 degrees to the equator, bringing the four-person crew directly over the North or South Pole every 45 minutes.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
  • And grant funding has become less reliable as state governments face their own financial challenges while the Trump administration has shown little inclination to aid transit systems.
    Soumya Karlamangla, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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