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
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.
Still, the former Gonzaga star is finding his place in Denver’s rotation in his second NBA season, averaging 9.2 points off the bench (15.3 per 36 minutes) as one of the team’s only volume 3-point shooting threats (36.8% on 4.1 attempts). Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025 Jordi Alba went to the bench at the 80-minute mark, replaced by Ian Fray. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025 Simmons, who missed five straight games entering the night because of lower back issues, calf issues, and illness, added 10 points and six assists in 23 minutes off the bench. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025 Listen to this article Reese Waters comes to every San Diego State basketball practice, attends every meeting, sits on the bench at every home game, accompanies the team on every road trip. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for the bench 

Dictionary Entries Near the bench

Cite this Entry

“The bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20bench. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!