Definition of bendnext
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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

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as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the stream bends slightly to the east

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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bend

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noun

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
Verb
Kudos go not only to the Panthers offense but to a defense that bent a lot but rarely broke. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026 Las Vegas pressured Mahomes all day, as Crosby shared a sack with defensive tackle Adam Butler, and linebacker Quay Walker bent the edge to take down Mahomes in the red zone. — Pete Sweeney october 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
Day and night aren't exactly 12 hours long on the day of the equinox because the Earth's atmosphere refracts, or bends, light in an optical illusion that brings more daylight than there really is. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 But then, somewhere past the point where impatience would have quit, the curve bends, and the results stop looking modest at all. — Richard Ceffalio, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
  • Terracotta tiles are at his feet; behind him is a gnarled pine tree, arching toward the sea.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Its initial trajectory after stage separation will put the spacecraft on the same course as previous flights, arching toward a reentry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Rivera said reading Against All Hope, Cuban political prisoner Armando Valladares’ memoir, while attending FIU persuaded him to abandon plans to become a sportswriter and devote his life to political and human-rights causes.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Sessions, in a letter seeking leniency that was read into the record by his chief of staff, said his former congressional colleague devoted decades to public service, much of it focused on defending liberty and democracy.
    — Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The second, Stillpoint, aims to release and restore calm with a deep oil-free massage, along with rocking compressions, assisted stretches, and Kansa wand techniques.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And the most recent announcement that’s set to be released in the first quarter of 2027 is the Shockwave, an electric enduro aimed squarely at riders who'd rather spend their weekends throwing a bike at dirt than commuting through traffic.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • That’s apt because the technological stroke that’s allowed Jamestown to revive One Times Square’s interiors is the evolution of digital screens that can slink along curving walls and respond to touch.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s central plaza, which spreads out beneath the building’s curved, hovering form, was always meant to be a generous civic space.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But this perception completely distorts what most Palestinians believe and are prepared to accept.
    — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The absurdist look at greed and climate change, reality and the distorting power of media, feckless world leaders and rapacious billionaires, struggled to get off the ground.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The important part is the chain of authority and the constraints attached to it.
    — Shashwat Sehgal, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier this week, Ed Brady, president and CEO of the Home Builders Institute (HBI), said younger people need to be more aware of the opportunities in the sector, saying skilled blue-collar roles with six-figure salaries attached were sitting empty.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Mike recalled that the effects of the disease were noticeable around the time of his 2011 wedding to Zara, and said his father’s physical decline had included curvature of the spine and subsequent medical problems.
    — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
  • An ant living deep inside the snow globe can’t easily detect any curvature, and therefore can’t tell the difference between anti-de Sitter and de Sitter space.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Neither a tilt toward Washington nor an embrace of multilateral diplomacy will solve the deeper problem that is eroding Brazil’s foreign policy autonomy and keeping it from turning its assets into real strength.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The tilt toward renting over buying comes down to simple math.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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