Bent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈbent/

Meaning & Definition of Bent

Bent (adjective)

  1. changed by bending out of an originally straight or even condition
  2. strongly inclined, determined —usually used with on
  3. different from the normal or usual

Bent (noun)

  1. a strong inclination or interest, bias
  2. a special inclination or capacity, talent
  3. capacity of endurance
  4. unenclosed grassland
  5. a reedy grass
  6. a stalk of stiff coarse grass

Bent (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. given to or marked by cheating and deception

    "the drug dealer knew which of the cops were bent"

    similar: crooked, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, duplicitous, fast, fraudulent, guileful, rogue, shady, sharp, shifty, underhand, underhanded
    related: unconscionable, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, deceitful, deceiving, deluding, delusive, delusory, false, artful, beguiling, cagey, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, subtle, wily, defrauding, devious, furtive, slippery, sneaking, sneaky, trickish, tricky, insidious, perfidious, treacherous
    opposite: aboveboard, honest, straight
    near: conscientious, decent, ethical, honorable, just, scrupulous, upright, forthright, straightforward

Bent (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

    "the perfect gift for a person of a literary bent"

    similar: affection, affinity, aptitude, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn
    related: favor, one-sidedness, partisanship, prejudice, endowment, faculty, flair, gift, knack, talent, addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste, forte, speciality, specialty, convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice, routine, trick, way, wont, eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity
    near: allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste, detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern

  2. a special and usually inborn ability

    "having a decided bent for languages, he picked up Italian in no time"

    similar: aptitude, endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, head, knack, talent
    related: affinity, bias, disposition, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn, ear, eye, mind, nose, feel, hang, instinct, touch, way, capability, competence, facility, proficiency, skill, capacity, potential, power, forte, specialism, speciality, specialty
    near: disability, handicap, inability, incapacity, shortcoming, weakness

Bent (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to turn away from a straight line

    "she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer"

    similar: arched, bowed, crooked, curved, hooked, swerved
    related: arced, rounded, incurvated, incurved, inflected, reflected, deflected, diverted, entwined, kinked, swirled, turned, twined, twisted, veered, warped, coiled, curled, enrolled, looped, spiraled, dented, dimpled, meandered, waved, weaved, wound, declined, inclined, sloped
    opposite: straightened, unbent, uncurled

  2. to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention

    "bent herself to the task for the rest of the day"

    similar: addressed, applied, buckled, devoted, gave, got cracking, got one's act together, got with it, turned one's hand
    related: readdressed, reapplied, knuckled down, settled (down), set (to), busied, committed, concerned, engaged, involved, exerted, exhausted, put out, spent, strained, stressed, taxed, troubled, wore out, carried on, pitched in, plunged (in), ground, humped, hustled, pegged (away), plodded, plowed, plugged (away), worked
    near: dallied, dawdled, dillydallied, fiddled (around), fooled around, idled, messed around, monkeyed (around), played, pottered (around), puttered (around), trifled

  3. to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal

    "bent all of his efforts toward making his first documentary film"

    similar: aimed, cast, directed, headed, held, leveled, pinpointed, set, trained
    related: sighted, bore, faced, concentrated, focused, inclined, oriented, steered
    near: averted, curved, deflected, detoured, diverted, rechanneled, shunted, sidetracked

  4. to turn away from a straight line or course

    "the stream bends slightly to the east"

    similar: arced, arched, bowed, crooked, curved, fell off, hooked, rounded, swept, swerved, trended, wheeled
    related: circled, coiled, curled, curlicued, looped, spiraled, turned, twisted, wound, deviated, veered
    opposite: straightened

  5. to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of

    "attorneys bending the facts to put their client in the most favorable light"

    similar: colored, cooked, distorted, falsified, fudged, garbled, misinterpreted, misrelated, misrepresented, misstated, perverted, slanted, twisted, warped
    related: misdescribed, misspoke, mistranslated, belied, camouflaged, disguised, dissembled, glossed (over), masked, veiled, whitewashed, bowdlerized, censored, complicated, confounded, confused, mistook, mixed (up), mystified, obscured, equivocated, fibbed, lied, paltered, prevaricated
    near: clarified, cleared (up), explained, illuminated, illustrated, interpreted, spelled out, deciphered

  6. to cause (something) to hold to another

    "bend a leash to the dog's collar"

    similar: affixed, attached, fastened, fixed
    related: adhered, bolted, cinched, clamped, clasped, clenched, clinched, clipped, glued, harnessed, hasped, hung, laced, lashed, latched, nailed, pasted, pinned, plastered, riveted, screwed, shackled, stapled, strapped, stuck, tacked, tackled, tied, toggled, yoked, coapted, connected, joined, linked, united, reaffixed, reattached, refastened, refixed, resecured, battened, belayed, buttoned, did up
    opposite: detached, undid, unfastened, unhooked
    near: broke up, disconnected, disjoined, disjointed, dissevered, dissociated, disunited, divided, divorced, parted, separated, severed, split, sundered, uncoupled, unlinked, unyoked, loosed, loosened, unbound, unfixed, unlashed, untied

Related Entry: Bend (verb)

Bend is a different word from Bent. The synonyms below are for bend, not for bent.

  1. to cause to turn away from a straight line

    "she bent the blade of the knife when she got it jammed in the drawer"

    similar: arch, bow, crook, curve, hook, swerve
    related: arc, round, incurvate, incurve, inflect, reflect, deflect, divert, entwine, kink, swirl, turn, twine, twist, veer, warp, coil, curl, enroll, loop, spiral, dent, dimple, meander, wave, weave, wind, decline, incline, slope
    opposite: straighten, unbend, uncurl

  2. to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention

    "bent herself to the task for the rest of the day"

    similar: address, apply, buckle, devote, give, get cracking, get one's act together, get with it, turn one's hand
    related: readdress, reapply, knuckle down, set (to), settle (down), busy, commit, concern, engage, involve, exert, exhaust, put out, spend, strain, stress, tax, trouble, wear out, carry on, pitch in, plunge (in), grind, hump, hustle, peg (away), plod, plow, plug (away), work
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, fiddle (around), fool around, idle, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

  3. to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal

    "bent all of his efforts toward making his first documentary film"

    similar: aim, cast, direct, head, hold, level, pinpoint, set, train
    related: sight, bear, face, concentrate, focus, incline, orient, steer
    near: avert, curve, deflect, detour, divert, rechannel, shunt, sidetrack

  4. to turn away from a straight line or course

    "the stream bends slightly to the east"

    similar: arc, arch, bow, crook, curve, fall off, hook, round, sweep, swerve, trend, wheel
    related: circle, coil, curlicue, curl, loop, spiral, turn, twist, wind, deviate, veer
    opposite: straighten

  5. to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of

    "attorneys bending the facts to put their client in the most favorable light"

    similar: color, cook, distort, falsify, fudge, garble, misinterpret, misrelate, misrepresent, misstate, pervert, slant, twist, warp
    related: misdescribe, misspeak, mistranslate, belie, camouflage, disguise, dissemble, gloss (over), mask, veil, whitewash, bowdlerize, censor, complicate, confound, confuse, mistake, mix (up), mystify, obscure, equivocate, fib, lie, palter, prevaricate
    near: clarify, clear (up), explain, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, spell out, decipher

  6. to cause (something) to hold to another

    "bend a leash to the dog's collar"

    similar: affix, attach, fasten, fix
    related: adhere, bolt, cinch, clamp, clasp, clench, clinch, clip, glue, hang, harness, hasp, lace, lash, latch, nail, paste, pin, plaster, rivet, screw, shackle, staple, stick, strap, tack, tackle, tie, toggle, yoke, coapt, connect, join, link, unite, reaffix, reattach, refasten, refix, resecure, batten, belay, button, do up
    opposite: detach, undo, unfasten, unhook
    near: break up, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, dissociate, disunite, divide, divorce, part, separate, sever, split, sunder, uncouple, unlink, unyoke, loose, loosen, unbind, unfix, unlash, untie

Related Entry: Bent (on or upon) (adjective)

Bent (on or upon) is a different word from Bent. The synonyms below are for bent (on or upon), not for bent.

  1. fully committed to achieving a goal

    "a bride-to-be bent on having the perfect wedding"

    similar: bound, decisive, determined, do-or-die, firm, hell-bent (on or upon), intent, out, purposeful, resolute, resolved, set, single-minded, on one's mettle
    related: bitter, vehement, certain, cocksure, confident, positive, sure, earnest, serious, steady, unfaltering, unhesitating, unswerving, unwavering, adamant, adamantine, dogged, hard, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inflexible, mulish, obdurate, persistent, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, rigid, self-willed, stubborn, tenacious, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful
    opposite: faltering, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, undetermined, unresolved, vacillating, wavering, weak-kneed
    near: distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, disinclined, indisposed, loath, reluctant

Related Entry: Bent out of shape (phrase)

Bent out of shape is a different word from Bent. The synonyms below are for bent out of shape, not for bent.

  1. feeling or showing anger

    "Try not to get so bent out of shape over such little things."

    similar: angered, angry, apoplectic, ballistic, cheesed off (chiefly British), choleric, enraged, foaming, fuming, furious, hopping, horn-mad, hot, incensed, indignant, inflamed, infuriate, infuriated, irate, ireful, livid, mad, outraged, rabid, rankled, riled, riley, roiled, shirty (chiefly British), sore, steamed up, steaming, teed off, ticked, wrathful, wroth, blue in the face, fit to be tied, going crook (Australian & New Zealand), hopping mad, hot under the collar, in a fume, in a huff, in a pet
    related: ranting, raving, stormy, boiling, bristling, bristly, burning, cross, huffy, passionate, seething, sizzling, smoldering, worked up, wrought (up), acrid, acrimonious, antagonistic, antipathetic, bitter, embittered, inimical, malevolent, piqued, rancorous, resentful, spiteful, vengeful, vindictive, virulent, vitriolic, antisocial, cold, cool, disagreeable, disapproving, distant, frigid, icy, ill-tempered, sorehead, sulky, unfriendly, unpleasant, aggravated, annoyed, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, exasperated, fretful, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, inflammable, irascible, irritable, peevish, perturbed, petulant, put out, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy, argumentative, belligerent, contentious, contrary, disputatious, ornery, pugnacious, quarrelsome, querulous
    opposite: angerless, delighted, pleased
    near: accepting, accommodating, obliging, agreeable, amenable, complaisant, amicable, cordial, friendly, content, happy, satisfied, empathetic, sympathetic, tolerant, understanding, calm, pacific, peaceable, placid, serene, tranquil, unembittered, affable, amiable, easygoing, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, kind, pleasant, sweet

Related Entry: Hell-bent (on or upon) (adjective)

Hell-bent (on or upon) is a different word from Bent. The synonyms below are for hell-bent (on or upon), not for bent.

  1. fully committed to achieving a goal

    "she's hell-bent on a career in show business and heaven help anyone who gets in her way"

    similar: bent (on or upon), bound, decisive, determined, do-or-die, firm, intent, out, purposeful, resolute, resolved, set, single-minded, on one's mettle
    related: bitter, vehement, certain, cocksure, confident, positive, sure, earnest, serious, steady, unfaltering, unhesitating, unswerving, unwavering, adamant, adamantine, dogged, hard, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inflexible, mulish, obdurate, persistent, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, rigid, self-willed, stubborn, tenacious, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful
    opposite: faltering, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, undetermined, unresolved, vacillating, wavering, weak-kneed
    near: distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, disinclined, indisposed, loath, reluctant

Related Entry: Hell-bent (adjective)

Hell-bent is a different word from Bent. The synonyms below are for hell-bent, not for bent.

  1. as in single-minded, intent

    similar: assured, certain, dedicated, determined, firm, intent, positive, resolute, resolved, single-minded, sure, dogged, insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious, adamant, bullheaded, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, implacable, indurate, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, peevish, perverse, pigheaded, self-willed, stiff-necked, stubborn, unregenerate, unyielding, willful, unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering, resistant, wayward, wrongheaded, constant, devoted, faithful, good, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, indomitable, unconquerable, hard, inflexible, relentless, stern, unbending, unflinching, unrelenting
    opposite: quitting, surrendering, yielding, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, irresolute, vacillating, wavering, disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bent

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bent:

crooked, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, duplicitous, fast, fraudulent, guileful, rogue, shady, sharp, shifty, underhand, underhanded, affection, affinity, aptitude, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn, endowment, faculty, flair, gift, head, knack

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bent

Words with the opposite meaning of Bent:

aboveboard, honest, straight, straightened, unbent, uncurled, detached, undid, unfastened, unhooked

Related Words for Bent

unconscionable, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, deceitful, deceiving, deluding, delusive, delusory, false, artful, beguiling, cagey, crafty, cunning, foxy, slick, sly, subtle, wily, defrauding, devious, furtive, slippery, sneaking, sneaky, trickish, tricky, insidious, perfidious

Near Antonyms of Bent

conscientious, decent, ethical, honorable, just, scrupulous, upright, forthright, straightforward, allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste, detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern, disability, handicap

Origin & Etymology of Bent

Middle English, from past participle of benden to bend

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bent

Words & Phrases Containing Bent

bent grass, bent out of shape, get bent, hell-bent

Frequently Asked Questions about Bent

What does "Bent" mean?

"Bent" means changed by bending out of an originally straight or even condition. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: changed by bending out of an originally straight or even condition. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bent"?

Other words for "Bent" include crooked, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, duplicitous, fast, fraudulent and guileful. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bent" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bent"?

There are 302 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bent". Common alternatives include crooked, deceptive, dishonest, double-dealing, duplicitous, fast, fraudulent, guileful, rogue and shady.

What is the opposite of "Bent"?

Antonyms of "Bent" include aboveboard, honest, straight, straightened, unbent, uncurled, detached and undid. Near antonyms include conscientious, decent, ethical and honorable.

How do you use "Bent" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bent" in a sentence: "the drug dealer knew which of the cops were bent"; "the perfect gift for a person of a literary bent"; "having a decided bent for languages, he picked up Italian in no time".

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

"Bent" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

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

As a C2-level word, "Bent" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Bent"?

"Bent" is pronounced /ˈbent/.