as in crooked
given to or marked by cheating and deception
the drug dealer knew which of the cops were bent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in attached
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bent
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Tuck shoulder blades in and down, body vertical, knees bent if needed.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
But, for observers of a historical bent, the outcome of the election presents an uncomfortable irony.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The defense bent a lot and didn’t break often but didn’t have any real signature plays.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bent
Adjective
Some of the trees stand as much as 140-feet, while others are twisted and bent due to rocky soil and lack of sunlight.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Tuck shoulder blades in and down, body vertical, knees bent if needed.
—Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
But the owners quickly reimagined the space as Bar Bacetti, which launched in June with aperitivi and a decidedly more Italian bent.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
But, for observers of a historical bent, the outcome of the election presents an uncomfortable irony.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025
Verb
Recent troubleshooting issues have included a cable bent out of specifications that was connected to the flight termination system that needed replacement.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
The defense bent a lot and didn’t break often but didn’t have any real signature plays.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
Adjective
-
Willms plans to call the Bureau of Land Management — the agency that oversees these parcels of federal land — to report the crooked stake.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Begin by removing any suckers at the base of the tree, side shoots on the trunk, crossing or crooked branches, dead or damaged branches, those that are growing inward, and crowded branches.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In addition, the association said teens who use social media most frequently report suffering from poor mental health at higher rates, including a greater tendency to think about suicide or self-harm.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Laura is suspicious about Cherry's mysterious past, while Cherry is worried about Laura's manipulative tendencies.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Instead of looking sharp and functional, your room can turn into a museum of knick-knacks, half-finished books, and piles of blankets.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Ninja has a knack for solving frustrating kitchen challenges.—
April Benshosan,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Long, arched hallways lead to the guest rooms, restaurants, castle-like lounge spaces, and even an ancient cloister from the former monastery.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Your chest should be upright and your torso should be slightly forward so that your back is flat and not arched or rounded forward.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, the face is so important to our social fabric that there’s an area of the brain—called the fusiform face area—devoted exclusively to decoding it.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Consumer insights like these are a thorn in the side of brands and retailers such as Levi’s, Nudie, and Uniqlo, all of which have devoted significant store space to repair services and invested heavily in promoting and educating consumers about keeping their jeans in use for longer.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Boatyard was founded in 2001 by Dick Franyo, who grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and aimed to celebrate the Bay's culture through his establishment.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Over the past few years, China has conducted numerous exercises aimed at demonstrating its ability to operate around the island, including large-scale multi-service war games that involve land, air, naval, and rocket forces.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fashion lovers, celebrities, and stylists alike are fans of this polished shoulder bag, thanks to its durable leather, curved top handle, and flat base.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Additive manufacturing allows load-bearing structures to follow curved, organic geometries dictated by optimization algorithms rather than the straight ribs and stringers of traditional airframes.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Here’s everything to know about her mental health history and the religious influence that allegedly distorted her beliefs.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
However, the government shutdown, which halted data collection, may have distorted the results.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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