bent 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of bentnext
chiefly British
as in crooked
given to or marked by cheating and deception the drug dealer knew which of the cops were bent

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bent

2 of 3

noun

ˈbent How to pronounce bent (audio)
1
as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing the perfect gift for a person of a literary bent

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2
as in knack
a special and usually inborn ability having a decided bent for languages, he picked up Italian in no time

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bent

3 of 3

verb

past tense of bend
1
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer

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2
as in devoted
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention bent herself to the task for the rest of the day

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3
as in aimed
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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4
as in curved
to turn away from a straight line or course the stream bends slightly to the east

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5
as in distorted
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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6
as in attached
to cause (something) to hold to another bend a leash to the dog's collar

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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

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

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 bent poles kept trains from making consistent contact with the power lines. —Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026 The game was stopped as Mitchell appeared to grab the back of her head, bent over in obvious pain. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
At Mayfield in San Juan Capistrano, owner George Barker and chef Jon Sarmenta have taken that viral architecture and combined it with a Levant bent to create their phenomenal Batata Harra Thousand Layer Potatoes. —Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026 Among his work was co-creating shows such as Righteous Gemstones, Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals, all for HBO and with strong, over-the-top comedic bents. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Sneaky bent down to reassess the corpse. —Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026 The word homosexual came out of their mouths bent by contempt. —Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
  1. crooked
  2. tendency
  3. knack
  4. arched
  5. devoted
  6. aimed
  7. curved
  8. distorted
Adjective
  • Until then, smuggling weed had been a grand adventure, an escape from a society that had just thrown Prager’s generation into a meat grinder in Vietnam, a repudiation of the crooked politicians and backward preachers and greedy capitalists who were running the world.
    — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
  • For the most part, this lineup, chock full of All-Stars and Hall of Famers, has struggled to put up crooked numbers.
    — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of crooked
Noun
  • But overall, the global findings jibe with other research that has demonstrated that young people today have been showing many positive trends, including a tendency to be more empathetic, less narcissistic, more inclusive and even more patient than past generations.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Our results show a tendency, not a rule, and understanding where this variation comes from will be fascinating to discover.
    — Logan S. James, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of tendency
Noun
  • Sterbinsky has a knack for reading greens.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Carney, the Irish director of Once and Sing Street, has a knack for making movies that use the process of writing songs to show how art connects us and to illustrate emotional truths.
    — Jada Yuan, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of knack
Verb
  • Engage your core and keep your back relatively flat (not arched or rounded).
    — Jenny McCoy, Outside, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Back on the highway, the rearview mirror showed the clouds had lifted, the waters were still, and a rainbow had arched across the sky.
    — Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of arched
Verb
  • Beyond entertainment, Shepard devoted herself to raising awareness for sickle cell anemia after a friend died of the affliction.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
  • From 1969 until his death in 2013, Goenka devoted his life to spreading Ba Khin’s teachings globally while retaining his Hindu identity.
    — Daniel M. Stuart, The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of devoted
Verb
  • These design choices are aimed at producing a sound level closer to a car door closing than a thunder-like boom.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Its extensive menu ranges from advanced biohacking and LED therapy to DNA testing aimed at identifying hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and nutritional needs, as well as bespoke sleep programming.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of aimed
Verb
  • The rink was a unique part of history, Kathy said, one of the world’s last remaining rotunda rinks, where the wooden planks on the ground are curved.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 15 Mar. 2026
  • For this face shape, professional hairstylist Nico Malabett says to play with your naturally sharp bone structure by combining straight-across or curved, rounded blunt bangs with sleek straight hair.
    — Nicole Catanese, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of curved
Verb
  • Ogalla said she was targeted by six mailings from Gallagher’s campaign that distorted her voting record, especially on property taxes and her efforts to reduce truck traffic.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
  • In his weekly newsletter, Johnson outlined his most detailed case yet for studying whether Dallas should move City Hall, saying speculation and sensational coverage have distorted the debate.
    — Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of distorted

Phrases Containing bent

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benisons
bent
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Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bent for Spanish Speakers

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