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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bent
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 June 2025
But the decision to prosecute Runcie seems to be another example of how the DeSantis administration seems bent on stupidly wasting the taxpayers’ money.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2025
David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
The story took a metaphorically magical bent, focusing on music’s power to unite — and potentially summon a bear.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bent
Adjective
Federal prosecutors said Monday that the man charged with shooting two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses, killing one couple, went to two other legislators’ homes that night, bent on more bloodshed.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 June 2025
But the decision to prosecute Runcie seems to be another example of how the DeSantis administration seems bent on stupidly wasting the taxpayers’ money.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2025
Noun
So far, however, Mantzoukas’s high energy is gelling well with the show’s competitive bent.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
The story took a metaphorically magical bent, focusing on music’s power to unite — and potentially summon a bear.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
Adjective
-
What Pete Rose did was selfish, illicit, shameful, crooked.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2025
-
Meanwhile, a crooked wayfarer named St. Christophe (Jackson) is hot on Broadway’s trail, catching up with the young man and revealing that his dead dad wasn’t, in fact, a stand-up guy.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
Having been sober for many decades herself, Bev recognizes the narcissism of addiction, the way addicts have a tendency to put themselves at the center of the universe.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
People with avoidant tendencies often pull away emotionally, while those with anxious tendencies may cling out of fear.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The Bucks have a knack for finding under-the-radar snipers late in free agency—Malik Beasley in 2023 and Trent last year come to mind.—
Brian Sampson,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
The Mustangs have a knack for drama and often find themselves in high-stakes moments late in games.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 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
-
Murillo’s name has been attached to that song since his first few months in Nottingham and one game in particular when West Ham United were the opposition at the City Ground.—
Daniel Taylor,
The Athletic,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Initial experimental validation of the concept Electrodes were attached, and the experiment began in complete darkness, eliminating potential photoelectric interference.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In the suit, filed Friday, Newsom says that Fox News had used deceptive edits to claim that the governor had lied in saying that Trump had not called him about deploying National Guard troops during the L.A. protests.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
27 June 2025
-
Florida is leading the way in what can become a national movement to crack down on hospitals’ deceptive and unfair billing practices.—
Cynthia A. Fisher,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
And, swear to God, my inclination to be a doctor was that.—
Kimberly Dishongh,
Arkansas Online,
22 June 2025
-
And Just Like That is out of a inclination to see Carrie continue to live her messy and fabulous life as a pretty egregiously out-of-touch Manhattan socialite.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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