BENDING Synonyms: 273 Similar and Opposite Words

bending 1 of 2

adjective

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bend

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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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as in curving

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightening

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in attaching

to cause (something) to hold to another bend a leash to the dog's collar

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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 bending

Verb

When the Americans failed to pressure Guijarro some 25 yards out, the Spanish captain ripped a bending effort that nestled in goalkeeper Claudia Dickey’s netting. — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026 With Pharrell Williams steering the production ship, the Athens, Georgia native wasted no time in seizing the opportunity to create his most cohesive, genre-bending body of work to date. — Mikey Fresh, VIBE.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Her works are playful and often ironic, relentlessly experimental and not only genre-bending but form-bending, including Nox (New Directions, 2010), a box containing an accordioned elegy to her estranged brother after his death. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 As endless suspicion mounts in multiple directions, this genre-bending true crime series explores society’s explosive obsession with true crime. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 Centuries later, Art Nouveau revived nature’s patterns once again, bending iron and glass into curling stems and petals. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026 For the flexibility assessment, the app guides you through various movements, such as raising your arms and bending your legs. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 Instead of bending one solid piece, the wood is cut into thin strips, coated with adhesive, stacked back together, and pressed against a curved mold. — New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026 In the kitchen, lower counters, pull-out storage and better appliance placement reduce bending and reaching. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bending

Adjective

At the center of the sprawling property is a 10,500-square-foot residence, accessible via a mile-long drive that winds through forest and across a curved stone bridge.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
The silhouette was elevated by a curved stiletto heel, a defining element in Matières Fécales and Christian Louboutin’s designs.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of curved

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

Definition of arching

Verb

The impact could be significant in terms of medical costs and devoting more funding toward actual care rather than other costs.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
The series tries to link all these women together into a tapestry of feminist frustration by devoting a few minutes at the beginning of each episode to an unnamed narrator telling different tales of misunderstood women throughout history.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of devoting

Verb

That was the case with hydraulic mining in the West, which involved aiming a torrent of water under high pressure to blast away soil and boulders to expose the underlying gold veins.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
In addition, Saint Laurent is aiming to double its sales to VICs by 2030, and to double its business in Asia within the same time frame.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of aiming

Verb

The space seamlessly flows into a dining area and a custom kitchen outfitted with curving cabinetry, stainless steel shelving, Caesarstone countertops, a contoured island, and a breakfast nook.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Designed by Behar Font & Partners, the building’s curving silhouette and glass façade evoke the slender form of a tulip blossom.

— Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of curving

Verb

But attorneys for the group Defenders of Wildlife said the government was distorting the environmental law’s definition of a species by focusing only on the populations in Minnesota and the Northern Rockies.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 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

Definition of distorting

Verb

Robots learn from experiments A separate Google project tested whether agents could improve DNA aptamers, short molecules that fold into shapes capable of attaching to specific proteins.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
The mayor was a friend, and the Rev attaching himself to the case might make Adams think twice.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of attaching

Adjective

Every floor and room is dedicated to specific watch brands and timepieces, featuring bespoke details like watch-hand door handles and winding-crown faucet handles, all crafted by Florentine artisans.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
As such, the show takes you on a winding journey of France’s influential craftsmanship and its impact on America via archival looks, dazzling objects, and more modern creations.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 May 2026

Definition of winding

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benders

bending

bends

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Style

“Bending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bending. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bending

adjective

verb

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