as in curved
marked by a long series of irregular curves
the river takes a long bending path to the sea
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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
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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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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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Cite this Entry
“Bending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bending. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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