1
as in to arch
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
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 to aim
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
5
as in to distort
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to attach
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curvature
something that curves or is curved
it's hard to see around that bend in the road, so be careful
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 bend
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
This orbit allowed the spacecraft to pass behind Jupiter relative to Earth, creating a rare opportunity to study how the planet’s atmosphere bends radio signals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
The momentum for the entire jump is generated by the glide of the outside edge, which Malinin maintains with a deep knee bend that serves as the spring for launching into the air and landing back on the same leg, on the same blade edge.
—Alice Park, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Verb
Gently bend a long vine back into the original pot and rest one of the small bead-like tubers directly on the soil surface.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
This orbit allowed the spacecraft to pass behind Jupiter relative to Earth, creating a rare opportunity to study how the planet’s atmosphere bends radio signals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
Adult carpenter ants have six legs, a narrow waist, and elbowed antennae with a bend.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
The momentum for the entire jump is generated by the glide of the outside edge, which Malinin maintains with a deep knee bend that serves as the spring for launching into the air and landing back on the same leg, on the same blade edge.
—Alice Park, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
-
Reaching 6 to 10 feet tall with arching branches, this tree's foliage becomes more intense with greater sun exposure.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Over the remainder of the half, the Broncos committed five turnovers and would have been down by even more at the break if not for a high-arching 3-pointer at the buzzer from Buchanan.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
To many in the industry, hip-hop was still a passing fad, and labels devoted far more resources to white acts.—
Andy Greene,
VIBE.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Anderson also devoted much of his speech to remembering his first-assistant director Adam Somner, who died from thyroid cancer in November 2024.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The company aims to maintain production continuity to assist workers with repetitive, physically demanding tasks while upholding quality and safety standards.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
While the rest of the Orlando locker room will take some time off during the week-long break to prepare for the final stretch of the regular season, Richardson will be out west aiming to live up to the dunk contest legacy of his father.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The path begins in Siberia, curves around the North Pole past Greenland and Iceland, then crosses Spain before ending in the Mediterranean sunset.—
Ryan Craggs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Some of them were curved like a hook.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Since his return to office in 2025, this firehose of lies has only accelerated, distorting everything from economic data to constitutional law.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, said the data was distorted by the timing of the Lunar New Year, which falls in mid-February this year after taking place in January last year.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tie the bands together, attach a paper clip to each end, then pull it around the broom and latch the paper clips together.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The third issue, attached to the first two, is that the audience is not fully emotionally engaged in the fate of this pair and their third-wheel in their road to death.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These two are among the fastest plant movements in all of botany, involving rapid changes in leaf curvature and cellular pressure.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Sageman-Furnas, Bobenko, and Hoffmann decided to look for a smooth analogue of the rhino whose curvature lines were similarly restricted to living in planes or on spheres.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Using solar energy, the device triggers evaporation to draw lithium inward, while its unique 30-degree tilt manages waste.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
According to Malfitano, Teigan was born with Cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological condition that affects large motor skills, and a twisted spine, causing her head to have a permanent tilt.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
