the bench
noun
1
law
: the place where a judge sits in a court of law
The lawyer asked if he could approach the bench.
2
: a long seat where the members of a sports team wait during a game for a chance to play
He spent most of his season on the bench.
He plays better coming off the bench.
Examples of the bench in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ellis and Schroder came off the bench to provide a spark as the Kings staged an 11-0 run to take a 77-74 lead on a 3-pointer by Schroder.
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Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 31 points and Jordan Poole added 26 off the bench in the team's fifth straight loss.
—CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
Brandin Podziemski came off the bench and poured in 21 points, an effort highlighted by a 3-pointer made off one leg while running to his right as the shot clock expired.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
Harden was on the bench after adding five points in the third quarter and didn’t return.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the bench
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Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 31 points and Jordan Poole added 26 off the bench in the team's fifth straight loss.
—CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
Brandin Podziemski came off the bench and poured in 21 points, an effort highlighted by a 3-pointer made off one leg while running to his right as the shot clock expired.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
Harden was on the bench after adding five points in the third quarter and didn’t return.
—Janis Carr, Oc Register, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the bench
Cite this Entry
“The bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bench. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
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