bent 1 of 3

chiefly British

bent

2 of 3

noun

bent

3 of 3

verb

past tense of bend
1
2
3
4
5
6

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun bent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bent are aptitude, faculty, genius, gift, knack, and talent. While all these words mean "a special ability for doing something," bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

a family with an artistic bent

When would aptitude be a good substitute for bent?

While the synonyms aptitude and bent are close in meaning, aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

a mechanical aptitude

When is faculty a more appropriate choice than bent?

The synonyms faculty and bent are sometimes interchangeable, but faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

a faculty for remembering names

In what contexts can genius take the place of bent?

Although the words genius and bent have much in common, genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

has no great genius for poetry

When might gift be a better fit than bent?

The words gift and bent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

the gift of singing beautifully

Where would knack be a reasonable alternative to bent?

In some situations, the words knack and bent are roughly equivalent. However, knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

the knack of getting along

When is it sensible to use talent instead of bent?

The meanings of talent and bent largely overlap; however, talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

has enough talent to succeed

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 bent
Adjective
Curious, Rawls bent down and picked it up with her bare hands Then, as the couple was leaving, Rawls decided to reverse image search the shell. Jordan Greene, People.com, 19 June 2025 His extensive catalog includes all-star team-ups with Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z that bent or helped shape their zeitgeist-defining legacies, and one-offs with international avant-pop figures Björk and Hikaru Utada. Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 17 June 2025
Noun
While there is a libertarian bent to it, that framing leaves out an important piece. Michelle R. Smith, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025 The larger piece features three of these women, each with one knee bent and the other leg extended. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bent
Adjective
  • The coffeehouse patched with oleander, Captain’s house behind the crooked pine, our restaurant painted blue and white.
    Aysegül Savas, Literary Hub, 8 July 2025
  • The name of the waterfall, township and river is considered to be an English or French interpretation of the Ojibwe name for the river, meaning crooked river, Ocqueoc Township's website says.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • The bill ultimately continues a generations-long Republican tendency to transfer wealth upward while abandoning working Americans. Davis: The wealth transfer Trump seeks is from government to taxpayers.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
  • Traits shape your willingness to try new things, your perception of effort, and your comfort level in different environments—making exercise a natural outlet for expressing these tendencies, said Matthew Sacco, PhD, a sports medicine psychologist at Cleveland Clinic.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Beringer seemingly has a knack for first impressions.
    Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • Royal Caribbean has a knack for creating ships that cater to all ages and vacation vibes, and Ovation of the Seas strikes the right balance with active all-ages fun, kid-friendly play areas, and vibrant nightlife.
    Erica Silverstein, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Brown devoted Wednesdays to mobility and conditioning after years of just incorporating it into his daily workouts.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The special section of Art Bulletin—which, as the discipline’s flagship journal, constitutes a semiofficial statement about AI’s importance in the field—devoted the majority of its space to critical commentary about the application of computer vision to works of art.
    Sonja Drimmer, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • An immigration surge prior to last year’s homeless count likely distorted the picture of homelessness in the country, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis of research by University of Pennsylvania professor Dennis Culhane, a leading national expert on homelessness.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • But the excitement over defeating the evil scientists and saving the damsel is distorted by the sound of Gemma’s distressed cries.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Murillo’s name has been attached to that song since his first few months in Nottingham and one game in particular when West Ham United were the opposition at the City Ground.
    Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Initial experimental validation of the concept Electrodes were attached, and the experiment began in complete darkness, eliminating potential photoelectric interference.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The suit alleges excessive fees resulting in high annual percentage rates, deceptive tipping practices and misleading consumers about the voluntary nature of fees.
    AJ Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • Mayes seeks to dissolve both companies, citing violations of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and deceptive practices targeting underage customers.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • The inclination of those operating from this skillset is to evaluate the interrelationships and interconnections within and between steps, processes, systems and people.
    Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Marseille’s artistic inclination is matched by an obsession with food which, typically, is very different from what appears on plates in the rest of France.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bent. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!