bent 1 of 3

chiefly British

bent

2 of 3

noun

bent

3 of 3

verb

past tense of bend
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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bent are aptitude, faculty, genius, gift, knack, and talent. While all these words mean "a special ability for doing something," bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

When would aptitude be a good substitute for bent?

While the synonyms aptitude and bent are close in meaning, aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

When is faculty a more appropriate choice than bent?

The synonyms faculty and bent are sometimes interchangeable, but faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

In what contexts can genius take the place of bent?

Although the words genius and bent have much in common, genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

When might gift be a better fit than bent?

The words gift and bent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

Where would knack be a reasonable alternative to bent?

In some situations, the words knack and bent are roughly equivalent. However, knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

When is it sensible to use talent instead of bent?

The meanings of talent and bent largely overlap; however, talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

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 bent
Adjective
In the clips, she’s seen bent over, delivering an epic twerk at a mystery spot in the Big Easy. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 9 Feb. 2025 Heels force your knees into a more bent position and put pressure on the knee cap, Dr. Wittstein says. Erica Sweeney, SELF, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
Awards-wise, however, that intellectual bent makes for slim margins. Nate Jones, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2024 Trump is not disguising his authoritarian bent, but too many followers prefer to ignore it in hopes of tax cuts (for the rich) or a drop in the price of gas or eggs. Trudy Rubin, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
Adjective
  • That benchmark is unattainable because mankind is made of crooked timber, and our station in life is influenced by happenstances beyond our control — our parents, siblings, relatives and place of birth.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Workers reported bent rafters, crooked columns and snapped cables before the building collapsed, according to OSHA.
    Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Poppies have a tendency to self-sow or naturalize in the garden.
    Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2025
  • The enclosures surround the vehicles’ lithium ion batteries, which have a tendency to spontaneously ignite at extremely hot temperatures that are difficult for firefighters to suppress.
    Katherine Love, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • White also has a knack for assembling fantastic casts, and he’s done it again here, with Posey stealing scenes and making memes as proudly old-fashioned matriarch Victoria, who pairs an airy superiority with a taste for prescription pills.
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Ken had a knack for bringing joy and laughter to any gathering.
    Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Bradbury co-authored a 2023 study that found that between 1970 and 2020, state and local governments devoted $33 billion in public funds to construct major-league sports venues in the United States and Canada.
    Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Yale University has no explicit policy on AI and college essays, but the admissions office devoted an entire podcast to the subject.
    Brad Tuttle, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average, with a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27, and the S&P 500 Index’s P/E at 24, are both distorted by tech stocks, such as Nvidia (NVDA).
    Lawrence Carrel, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Has that distorted the trajectory of his adult life?
    Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The suspects then loaded the ATM onto a trailer attached to a U-Haul box truck and fled the area, authorities said.
    Maggie Ybarra, Baltimore Sun, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The tweet also briefly had an X community note attached to it, which referenced the killing.
    Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Phishing campaigns leverage compromised accounts or domains to send deceptive invitations, luring victims into downloading harmful files.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 10 Feb. 2025
  • It’s got a slim, high-rise fit with a deceptive amount of cargo space that includes tennis ball pockets and side pockets.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Regardless of one’s political affiliation or inclinations, now is the time to institutionalize sweeping changes in public management.
    Jerry Haar, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2025
  • By asking for the right deliverables, the Trump administration can strongly reinforce this inclination.
    Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

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