1
as in judge
a public official having authority to decide questions of law
appealed to the bench for leniency
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tribunal
an assembly of persons for the administration of justice
a ruling from the bench is expected any day now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bench
The Heat used Fontecchio, Jaquez, Jovic and Smith off the bench to complete its nine-man rotation against the Grizzlies before emptying its bench late in the rout.
—
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Russell has been so underwhelming that head coach Jason Kidd has refused to start him, playing him limited bench minutes in favor of starting 6-foot-10 rookie forward Cooper Flagg at the point.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Head coach Joe Mazzula, who’s leading a roster that features three new starters and an overhauled bench, saw incremental improvement from his team.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Items under consideration include benches, decorative paving and trash receptacles.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bench
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Russell has been so underwhelming that head coach Jason Kidd has refused to start him, playing him limited bench minutes in favor of starting 6-foot-10 rookie forward Cooper Flagg at the point.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Head coach Joe Mazzula, who’s leading a roster that features three new starters and an overhauled bench, saw incremental improvement from his team.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Items under consideration include benches, decorative paving and trash receptacles.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bench
Noun
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Six months after a high-profile arrest and indictment of a judge at the Milwaukee County Courthouse complex, the county's chief judge has yet to issue a formal policy about what leeway federal immigration agents have to operate in the county's halls of justice.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Dylan, Olivia and Karagach's performance earned them 36/40 from the judges and plenty of high praise.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal rejected China's sweeping South China Sea claims in the waters but Chinese government has ignored the ruling since.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Most conflicts are decided by the tribunal of public opinion.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Mowitz’s estranged wife, Jillian Green, testified during a June 16 deposition amid their divorce, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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A lot of the Raptors’ intention in the half-court was devoted to getting Ingram the basketball — not a surprise given his skills.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bench. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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