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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in attached
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Ana Serrano, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2025
And there are people with theological and philosophical bents who use the BGV theorem to bolster their preferred arguments over how the Universe ultimately began, with dubious and debatable results.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
Machines bent shoes thousands of times to test creasing.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
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
While attending the third annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit on October 29, the star wore a soft rose dress that called for coordinated and festive nails—but with a minimalist bent.
—Ana Serrano, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2025
And there are people with theological and philosophical bents who use the BGV theorem to bolster their preferred arguments over how the Universe ultimately began, with dubious and debatable results.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
And that includes a rush of new law-school graduates bent on defending immigrants’ rights rather than just drafting mergers-and-acquisitions contracts.
—Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
Machines bent shoes thousands of times to test creasing.
—Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
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
-
The brewery’s ball pit is meant to be an incisive commentary on our generation’s tendency to enjoy the trappings of adulthood—such as consuming alcohol—without fully committing to the responsibilities that are supposed to come with them, such as parenthood.—
Eddie Small,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s economic management combines two theoretically incompatible tendencies.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Only a few other animals, like parrots and apes, have demonstrated a knack for this kind of eavesdropping.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Greene has shown a knack for finding soft spots in the offensive zone and setting himself up for Grade-A scoring chances.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
8 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
-
What a slap in the face to the folks who’ve studied, who’ve researched, who’ve invented, who’ve saved lives, who’ve fought for their lives, who’ve lost their lives, who’ve devoted their lives to keeping that last group as small as possible.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The Spanish chef’s fine-dining concept is an homage to the glories of the world’s oceans, with a strong emphasis on the bounty of the local waters that includes lionfish, Mahi Mahi, and an entire menu section devoted entirely to various renditions of conch.—
Jesse Ashlock,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 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
-
In car design, that meant a short roof that curved downward, for a sleek stylish look that did not preclude four doors.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
4 Nov. 2025
-
But by the early 19th century, some mathematicians had started exploring other kinds of geometric spaces — ones that aren’t flat but rather curved like a sphere or saddle.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Nov. 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 12 Jan. 2026.
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