as in twisting
marked by a long series of irregular curves
the river takes a long bending path to the sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in arching
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devoting
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 aiming
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 curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
the stream bends slightly to the east
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in distorting
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 attaching
to cause (something) to hold to another
bend a leash to the dog's collar
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bending
Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Kevin Moore, a friend of Gray’s who recorded part of the arrest, later said that during the arrest Gray’s face was planted on the ground, one officer had his knee on Gray’s neck and another officer was bending his legs backward.
—Steve Earley, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2025
By adjusting the field’s strength and direction, researchers can control actions like bending, twisting, and crawling—no wires or onboard power is needed.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2025
The fashion house’s artisans began experimenting with the material—which is extremely lightweight, strong, and pliable—and eventually created handles out of them by gently bending the stalks with fire and then applying many coats of lacquer.
—Diana Budds, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2025
This was done by using the slender bridges to form triangles, a rigid shape found in engineering and architecture to resist bending and warping.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Many of the stars exhibit a bright glow and four points known as diffraction spikes, which are caused by starlight bending around Hubble's mirrors.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2025
They can be installed at more ergonomic heights than a range, which requires bending over to insert or retrieve items from oven cavities.
—Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Lastly, swap in the crevice tool for corners and other hard-to-reach areas, especially spots under furniture, that usually require bending over or getting down on your hands and knees.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Yes, his air-bending changeup has not looked crisp.
—Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Kevin Moore, a friend of Gray’s who recorded part of the arrest, later said that during the arrest Gray’s face was planted on the ground, one officer had his knee on Gray’s neck and another officer was bending his legs backward.
—Steve Earley, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2025
By adjusting the field’s strength and direction, researchers can control actions like bending, twisting, and crawling—no wires or onboard power is needed.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2025
The fashion house’s artisans began experimenting with the material—which is extremely lightweight, strong, and pliable—and eventually created handles out of them by gently bending the stalks with fire and then applying many coats of lacquer.
—Diana Budds, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2025
This was done by using the slender bridges to form triangles, a rigid shape found in engineering and architecture to resist bending and warping.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Many of the stars exhibit a bright glow and four points known as diffraction spikes, which are caused by starlight bending around Hubble's mirrors.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2025
They can be installed at more ergonomic heights than a range, which requires bending over to insert or retrieve items from oven cavities.
—Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Lastly, swap in the crevice tool for corners and other hard-to-reach areas, especially spots under furniture, that usually require bending over or getting down on your hands and knees.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bending
Verb
-
Season Two didn’t always help itself in that regard, devoting entire installments to Cold Harbor and to the origin of the severance process itself.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
21 Mar. 2025
-
But was that context enough to justify devoting an entire episode — even a relatively compact 38-minute one — to it, this late in a season where the characters the audience is most invested in have now been in limbo for multiple chapters in a row?—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The curving observation tower functions as a massive sundial and marks the changing of the seasons.—
Adam Williams,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
-
Its design is inspired by ancient Sun worship, as well as watchtowers that were once used to warn Chinese Emperors of seaborne attacks, and its curving form has been constructed from two layers of slanted concrete shells that echo the sound of the waves.—
Adam Williams,
New Atlas,
25 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Those concerned about attaching their name to a public comment may also submit theirs anonymously via the Federal Register pages (which are divided into separate policies for new passports, renewals, and correction or replacement requests).—
Samantha Riedel,
Them,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Other techniques include using a tripod or stabilizing your phone on a flat surface and attaching a clip-on telephoto lens to magnify the moon.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The Portuguese coach will be allowed in the dugout for his side’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Manchester United on Thursday due to the sanction only applying in French competitions.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The guidance immediately affects people applying for lawful permanent status, foreign student visas and others affiliated with educational institutions, according to the release.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
But ather than casting someone else to play her child self, the film shows the adult Josephine dancing in the living room, in a mode that recalls Michel Gondry’s work in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.—
James Factora,
Them.,
31 Mar. 2025
-
But something began to go wrong with some of these LED arrays beginning around 2021, when the first reports appeared of previously white streetlights suddenly casting first lavender, then violet and finally plum-colored light.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Joe Biden’s last weeks as president will be spent bowing to environmentalists by trying to permanently ban new offshore oil and natural gas.—
Andrew Follett,
National Review,
5 Jan. 2025
-
This weekend, a cartoonist quit her job after an editor rejected her sketch of the newspaper's owner and other media executives bowing before the president-elect.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Sedona Prince has had a winding journey toward the 2025 WNBA Draft, where she’s expected to finally join the league in April after a seven-year college odyssey.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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The entry pathway is suspended over a pool of lotus flowers, followed by a mystical winding road shaded by the canopy (where a chase scene was filmed), and the open-air lobby which overlooks the resort’s statement design piece: a long pool filled with floating lotuses.—
Anna Haines,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This tiny spot has everything needed for relaxation—a pair of Adirondack chairs to lean back and reflect on the day and a tiny table for holding drinks and snacks.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Again, this man has been holding onto so much, and things have just been compacted for him.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bending. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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