bench

1
as in judge
a public official having authority to decide questions of law appealed to the bench for leniency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in tribunal
an assembly of persons for the administration of justice a ruling from the bench is expected any day now

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 bench This cash-only roadside restaurant serves everything from spring rolls to noodles, including pad Thai, with picnic benches to dine alfresco before heading into the Alaskan wilderness. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025 Black led the Magic bench with 9 points in 13 minutes. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2025 Orrick, who was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to the Northern District of California bench, said the administration could not enforce this executive order in the 16 cities and counties which brought the case, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Seattle. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025 The Inter Miami bench included Drake Callender, Gonzalo Lujan, Tomas Aviles, Fafa Picault, David Martinez, Ian Fray, Leo Afonso, Allen Obando, Benja Cremaschi, Yannick Bright and Santi Morales. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bench
Noun
  • Last year, the High Court in London ruled that the decision was lawful and that decision was later upheld by three senior Court of Appeal judges.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • William Kunstler, the lawyer who had tried to exonerate the two men wrongfully convicted of killing Malcolm, was cast as the Boston judge who sentences Malcolm to prison.
    CBS News, CBS News, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • He was initially cleared by an independent tribunal convened by the ITIA, but after an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Sinner and WADA’s legal teams reached a case resolution agreement.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Justice delayed, and still incomplete The Khmer Rouge tribunal – officially the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia – was supposed to bring closure.
    Sophal Ear, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Diddy turns down plea deal in court, judge rules on jury selection before trial: Live updatesNeed a break?
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • Now the legislature may undo it Central Florida homeowners beat their developer's 'club fees' in court.
    Rebecca T Brown, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bench. Accessed 14 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bench

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!