bend 1 of 2

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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
According to Khan Na Yao Police, Rangkharasamee is believed to have exited his vehicle and bent down to retrieve an item off the ground. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025 The approach is complemented by heavy use of the Estevez brothers’ childhood Super 8 movies, genre-bending DIY productions that Charlie notes often bore similarities to the movies their father was making at the time. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Factories are just out of sight around the stream's bend. Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2025 Instead of going dark, some sunlight still reaches the moon, glowing red because Earth’s atmosphere bends and filters the sunlight. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bend
Verb
  • On Queen West stands a cathedral to gastronomy, complete with maple wood arched ceiling and steaks worth worshipping.
    Kate Dingwall, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Liriope has long, slender leaves that arch over like a fountain.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculated, based on 2023 data, that older adults devote a higher share of spending than the general population to groceries, housing, utilities and health care.
    Susan Tompor, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Police departments, including Crockett’s local Dallas Police Department, often devote resources to crime prevention.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Breeze Basketball Club and Hive Basketball Club will add 12 players to rosters, while six additional athletes will enter a season-long development pool aimed at strengthening depth and competitiveness.
    Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • In order to embolden and support his organization, bin Laden often videotaped himself with messages aimed at his target audience, established training centers in Afghanistan, had an expansive funding network that included wealthy individuals, couriers, mosques and other complex ways to raise funds.
    Richard Frankel, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • From there, the soft tube grows forward, automatically curving into the trachea.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The canyon-like layout consists of four spherical structures connected by curving platforms, courtyards, and pedestrian bridges; 3 of the 18 floors are below ground.
    Mae Hamilton, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His team accused Whatley of distorting the facts to cover for his support of federal policies that reduced funding for local police.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Beyond 100 people, culture often fragments, communication distorts and the founder’s vision weakens.
    Jonathan Low, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The truck came to him just as a body, which Lord attached to the chassis of a Chevrolet S-10, his mother Michelle Lord said.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Oysters inspired the researchers because of their remarkable ability to attach to rocks, bridge pilings, or even each other in the harsh underwater environment.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The presence, distribution, and motion of matter and energy through spacetime determined the curvature and evolution of that spacetime fabric, and then the curvature of that spacetime fabric determined the future trajectories and fates of every particle that exists within that spacetime.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Posture Changes Spine curvatures can make standing up straight difficult, causing lower right back pain.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Case For Planet Y Simulations show that a world with a mass between Mercury and Earth, orbiting between 100 and 200 AU from the sun and tilted at least 10 degrees, could nudge the Kuiper Belt's plane into a tilt.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Pan, tilt and zoom A quality Motorola video baby monitor will be able to zoom in, zoom out, tilt and pan the room.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bend. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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