1
as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
the commanding officer's unbending reserve when dealing with subordinates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the school's new headmaster is reputed to be an unbending disciplinarian
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in straightening
to cause to follow a line that is without bends or curls
the new highway will largely unbend that twisting path that the old road used to follow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unbending
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 18 Feb. 2022
Amidst this controversy, in 1998, Manning met the scientist who would become his unbending ally.
—Timothy Pratt, Discover Magazine, 2 Feb. 2022
Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unbending
Adjective
The result has been a most uncivil war, not fought over ideology, but over loyalty to the former president; not over public policy or economic solutions, but about who can serve as the most unbending conduit of the Republican base’s profound anger.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 18 Feb. 2022
Amidst this controversy, in 1998, Manning met the scientist who would become his unbending ally.
—Timothy Pratt, Discover Magazine, 2 Feb. 2022
Verb
Without unbending her back, the mother arranges her mouth into a placid line.
—Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unbending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unbending
Adjective
-
The distant rumble of the Central line is a reminder that the real world lurks outside this cosseted haven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Mom got in some distant cousin’s car within twenty minutes of arriving, which wasn’t surprising.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Grab a melamine sponge and get rid of stubborn bathtub stains in a jiffy.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
1 June 2026
-
If the Avs remain stubborn and play a style that suits their stars in the regular season, MacKinnon might win another title, but will be at the end of his career with another team.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The 60-year-old had permed her hair every six weeks for 30 years before realizing that chemically straightening her hair had become a time-consuming and self-imposed obligation.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
29 May 2026
-
Beran shed a few tears in her office before wiping her eyes with a tissue, straightening her shoulders and heading into the hallway.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Multiple reports have said Frogmore was two semi-detached homes before Queen Elizabeth gave it to her grandson, Harry, and his bride, Meghan, as a wedding present.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
In contrast to this ribald directness, Kokopeli’s playsets feature characters who appear detached and disconnected.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Officials with the Georgia Department of Transportation have been adamant that many of the major road closures and resurfacing projects are unrelated to the World Cup, and therefore are on a multi-year timeline.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Healthcare advocates are equally adamant.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The attentive staff carries complimentary sunscreen, cold towels, and mango juice shots straight to your lounge chair.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
At this point, the coffee that remains in their cups has gone cold, and our time is almost up.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The throughline of his life is his on-again, off-again friendship with, but also his steadfast love for a neighbor girl of the upper class, who challenges him repeatedly to become his better self.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Despite their steadfast opposition to the change, most in the college hockey world are resigning themselves to likely new reality.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
That guy selling records seems pretty cool.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
The dark spirit might be more commonly thought of as a cozy, cool-weather sipper or associated with booze-forward drinks served up, but there’s plenty of reason to enjoy it in the summer too, and this cocktail proves why.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unbending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbending. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
