Bench — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbench/

Meaning & Definition of Bench

Bench (noun)

  1. a long seat for two or more persons
  2. a thwart in a boat
  3. a seat on which the members of an athletic team await a turn or opportunity to play

Bench (verb)

  1. to furnish with benches
  2. to seat on a bench
  3. to remove from or keep out of a game; broadly, to remove from use or from a position

Bench (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a public official having authority to decide questions of law

    "appealed to the bench for leniency"

    similar: adjudicator, beak (chiefly British), court, judge, jurist, justice, magistrate
    related: chief justice, circuit judge, justice of the peace, squire, auditor, master, jurisconsult, jurisprudent

  2. an assembly of persons for the administration of justice

    "a ruling from the bench is expected any day now"

    similar: bar, court, forum, tribunal, court of law
    related: criminal court, judicatory, judicature, judiciary, high court, supreme court, court-martial, drumhead court-martial, inquisition, kangaroo court

Related Entry: Benchmark (noun)

Benchmark is a different word from Bench. The synonyms below are for benchmark, not for bench.

  1. something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared

    "this prize-winning biography will be the benchmark against which all others will be judged in future years"

    similar: bar, barometer, criterion, gold standard, grade, mark, measure, metric, par, standard, touchstone, yardstick
    related: case, example, instance, average, norm, rule, acme, apex, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith
    near: aberration, abnormality, deviation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bench

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bench:

Chiefly British: beak
adjudicator, court, judge, jurist, justice, magistrate, bar, forum, tribunal, court of law

Related Words for Bench

chief justice, circuit judge, justice of the peace, squire, auditor, master, jurisconsult, jurisprudent, criminal court, judicatory, judicature, judiciary, high court, supreme court, court-martial, drumhead court-martial, inquisition, kangaroo court

Word Forms of Bench

Inflections: benched, benching, benches

Origin & Etymology of Bench

Middle English, from Old English benc; akin to Old High German bank bench

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bench

Words & Phrases Containing Bench

bench jockey, bench press, bench seat, bench warrant, deacon's bench, front bench, King's Bench

Frequently Asked Questions about Bench

What does "Bench" mean?

"Bench" means a long seat for two or more persons. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a long seat for two or more persons. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bench"?

Other words for "Bench" include adjudicator, beak, court, judge, jurist, justice, magistrate and bar. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bench" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bench"?

There are 29 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bench". Common alternatives include adjudicator, beak, court, judge, jurist, justice, magistrate, bar, forum and tribunal.

How do you use "Bench" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bench" in a sentence: "appealed to the bench for leniency"; "a ruling from the bench is expected any day now".

Is "Bench" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bench" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Bench" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Bench" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bench"?

"Bench" is pronounced /ˈbench/.

What is the origin of the word "Bench"?

"Bench" comes from Middle English, from Old English benc; akin to Old High German bank bench. First known use: before 12th century.