1
as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
the commanding officer's unbending reserve when dealing with subordinates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the school's new headmaster is reputed to be an unbending disciplinarian
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in straightening
to cause to follow a line that is without bends or curls
the new highway will largely unbend that twisting path that the old road used to follow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 unbending
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Oct. 2021
His voice was deep, brawny, and plaintive; his look delicate but unbending and intense.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2021
Taking fright, however, was not in his character, Mr. Putsila said in an interview at the office of Nexta, the opposition news organization where Mr. Protasevich established himself as one of Mr. Lukashenko’s most effective and unbending critics.
—New York Times, 25 May 2021
Extremists in Afghanistan, in essence, control both sides of that equation — keeping up the violence to help their position in talks now, while holding to their goal of a return to an unbending Islamic rule later.
—Mujib Mashal, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2020
See all Example Sentences for unbending 
Adjective
Adding to McConnell's unbending position on the debt ceiling is Democrats' efforts to pass a sweeping $3.5 trillion package that would expand the social safety net and combat climate change.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Oct. 2021
His voice was deep, brawny, and plaintive; his look delicate but unbending and intense.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2021
Taking fright, however, was not in his character, Mr. Putsila said in an interview at the office of Nexta, the opposition news organization where Mr. Protasevich established himself as one of Mr. Lukashenko’s most effective and unbending critics.
—New York Times, 25 May 2021
Extremists in Afghanistan, in essence, control both sides of that equation — keeping up the violence to help their position in talks now, while holding to their goal of a return to an unbending Islamic rule later.
—Mujib Mashal, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2020
See all Example Sentences for unbending
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unbending
Adjective
-
And for those who were curious about the fact that the actor and the author share a last name, yes — the late writer is a distant relative.Max Gao, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
-
The decision fell to the House of Representatives, where a string of backroom machinations made John Quincy Adams president and distant runner-up Henry Clay the Secretary of State.Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
McCaffrey hadn’t played since the Super Bowl in Las Vegas while battling a stubborn case of Achilles tendinitis.Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
-
You might be tempted to whip out your strongest acne-fighting products to destroy your stubborn zit.Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
To intensify the stretch, work on bending and straightening your legs.Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 30 Sep. 2024
-
Other than the straightening attachment, which straightens both wet and dry hair in as little as one pass, both the FlexFusion and the FlexFusion + Straight work as a traditional blowdryer and include the brush attachments, Auto-WrapCurlers and Styling Concentrator.Erin Lassner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
-
Listed for the first time this year, the 61-acre property includes a sprawling mansion, a greenhouse, and a detached garage with room for up to 20 cars.Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024
-
Take their approach to motherhood: While Cleo seems almost blinded by her devotion to her sons, Maddie is more detached from her teenage son, Seth.Manuel Betancourt, Vulture, 26 July 2024
Adjective
-
Courtney is adamant that their mom (Vernee Watson) needs cataract surgery, but as the more successful sister, Gaby’s words carry more weight.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
-
Paul Heyman, one of the key figures in The Bloodline saga, has been adamant that WWE remains in the early stages of a storyline that started way back in 2020.Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
On cold days, its extra length and 650-fill-power down feel like a warm hug.Abigail Barronian, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
-
On our return to The Ravel after every excursion, we are greeted by a welcome party of staff holding out a cold towel and a glass of buck's fizz.James Rampton, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Still, the coach had remained steadfast in his support of Moss in spite of those mistakes.Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
-
The trilogy was directed by Zemeckis and written by Bob Gale, and both have been steadfast in their disavowal of further Back to the Future projects.Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Other women in particular seem to think this was a very, very cool thing to have done.Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
-
Murdock said both systems are bringing cold air from the Alaskan gulf and are part of a pattern that has allowed the jet stream to let in cooler air than normal.Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unbending
Cite this Entry
“Unbending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbending. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share