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

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
Mounds of concrete and bent metal remain. —Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2025 According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, the condition is a rare genetic disorder characterized by abnormalities of the skeletal muscles, including weakness and stiffness, abnormal bone development and joints that become fixed in bent or extended positions. —Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
Hillsdale proudly touts its conservative bent and is famous for rejecting federal money, including Pell grants for students. —John Wisely, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2025 But in another respect, a focus on chip stocks as an investment theme can be worth a look for investors with an aggressive bent. —Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The President of the United States is busy redecorating the White House and bent on buying Greenland. —Book Marks september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 The President of the United States is busy redecorating the White House and bent on buying Greenland. —Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 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
  • Instead of squandering a potential big inning, the Cubs had put up a crooked number.
    — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The few mourners walked away beneath the crooked, treeless oaks and hickories of the Westminster Presbyterian burying ground.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of crooked
Noun
  • This is presumably a reference to Perkins' status as a closeted gay man, something Hitchcock likely knew, and not because Perkins had homicidal tendencies.
    — JR Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • They were supervised, or not supervised, or supervised in such a way that their worst tendencies were encouraged instead of discouraged.
    — Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of tendency
Noun
  • The main attraction in this riff on the Snow White legend is director Tarsem Singh’s splendid knack for surreal, eye-popping imagery; every frame of this fantasy adventure is stunning.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The memory foam has a knack for letting your body melt into the bed, but retains its medium-firm touch.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of knack
Verb
  • Such ambiguity works to the film’s advantage, as Leonberg focuses on Indy’s face and lets audiences project our own feelings onto the cocked head, the questioning expression, his brows arched in either curiosity or concern.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
  • These stripes arched across the front half of its body, only to fade into a solid brown coat toward its rear.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of arched
Verb
  • Mary, Viola's second-eldest, devoted her life to ensuring that her mother and her cause would not be forgotten.
    — Emma George-Griffin, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Barrymore devoted some ink to her two daughters, Olive and Frankie, by getting their names inscribed on the inside of her right wrist in March 2016.
    — Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of devoted
Verb
  • The Swedish chemist, engineer and inventor Alfred Nobel liked a uniter, not a divider, even though his own experiments were aimed at blowing things up.
    — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The ruling marks the legal culmination of a prolific feud between Drake and Lamar that spanned much of 2024, when the two rappers dropped a slew of tracks aimed at each other.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of aimed
Verb
  • Featuring an ergonomic, curved back that will keep you comfortable long after dessert has finished, plus a plush foam seat, this set of four keeps things fresh and elegant.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The difference in the zero-point energy of space between those two locations tells us, as first derived in Hawking’s 1974 paper, that radiation will be emitted from the region around the black hole, where space is curved the most strongly.
    — Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of curved
Verb
  • If your shrubs have distorted, yellowing, or curling leaves or their growth seems stunted, take a close look.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, his big reveal on Monday offered families distorted science, false hope, and unproven and at times dangerous medical advice.
    — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of distorted

Phrases Containing bent

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benisons
bent
benthic
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Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.

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