bent

1 of 3

adjective

ˈbent How to pronounce bent (audio)
Synonyms of bentnext
1
: changed by bending out of an originally straight or even condition
bent twigs
standing with knees slightly bent
2
: strongly inclined : determined
—usually used with on
was bent on going
3
slang
a
: different from the normal or usual
… she was so bent that she's probably a woman who ought to be locked up somewhere …—Robert Redford
b
chiefly British : dishonest, corrupt
a bent cop
c
chiefly US : intoxicated, drunk
Like to get bent? This hangover beater will help you get back on track.—Vibe

bent

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a strong inclination or interest : bias
the organization's religious bent
b
: a special inclination or capacity : talent
students with a scientific bent
2
: capacity of endurance
They fool me to the top of my bent.—Shakespeare
3
engineering : a transverse framework (as in a bridge) to carry lateral as well as vertical loads

bent

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: unenclosed grassland
2
botany
a(1)
: a reedy grass (see grass entry 1 sense 2)
(2)
: a stalk of stiff coarse grass
b
: bent grass
Phrases
bent out of shape
: extremely upset or angry
get bent
slang
—used as an angry or contemptuous way of dismissing someone's statement, suggestion, etc.
I try to call him the next morning to apologize, but he tells me to get bent.—Chuck Klosterman

Synonyms

Adjective

Noun (2)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for bent

gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

Examples of bent in a Sentence

Adjective With your knees slightly bent, bend forward and touch your toes. the drug dealer knew which of the cops were bent Noun (2) the perfect gift for a person of a literary bent having a decided bent for languages, he picked up Italian in no time
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
And by the way when Tim Walz said that [JD Vance] was weird, Vance was all bent out of shape. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024 Then each of those has all of the individual pine needle branches that can also be bent in any direction. —Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
Jeff Osaka was interested in incorporating ingredients with a local bent. —Jonathan Shikes, The Denver Post, 11 Nov. 2024 Several notable ballot initiatives will be on the ballot, testing the ideological bent of the state. —Abc News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bent 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from past participle of benden to bend

Noun (1)

irregular from bend entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English, grassy place, bent grass, from Old English beonot-; akin to Old High German binuz rush

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bent was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing bent

Dictionary Entries Near bent

Benson

bent

bentang

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bent. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

bent

1 of 3 noun
ˈbent How to pronounce bent (audio)
: bent grass

bent

2 of 3 adjective
1
: changed by bending : crooked
a bent pin
2
: strongly favorable to : quite determined
doctors bent on finding a cure

bent

3 of 3 noun
1
: a strong natural liking
2
: a special inclination or capacity : talent
Etymology

Noun

Middle English bent "grassy place, bent grass"

Adjective

Middle English bent "crooked," from benden "to bend"

Noun

from bend "to turn in a certain direction"

More from Merriam-Webster on bent

Nglish: Translation of bent for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of bent for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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