bent
behnt
Bent (adjective) means Curved, folded, or twisted out of its original straight shape. Example: “She straightened the bent paper clip and used it to open the lock.”
adjective
1
Curved, folded, or twisted out of its original straight shape.
"She straightened the bent paper clip and used it to open the lock."
"The bent spoon would not fit inside the jar."
"The bike's front wheel was badly bent after the crash."
2
Corrupt or dishonest, especially describing an official.
"Everyone in town knew the bent inspector would ignore problems for a small bribe."
"In the novel, the detective slowly discovers that his boss is bent."
"The film centers on a bent cop who takes bribes from local gangs."
3
Strongly determined to do something.
"The two teams were bent on winning the trophy this year."
"She seemed bent on proving everyone wrong."
"He was bent on finishing the marathon no matter how tired he got."
noun
1
A natural inclination, skill, or tendency.
"She has a natural bent for music and picked up the piano quickly."
"His artistic bent showed early, in doodles across every school book."
"He always had a bent for fixing things with his hands."
How to use bent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPhysically curved or twisted, or, figuratively, someone who is corrupt or firmly set on doing something.
When to use it
"Bent" meaning corrupt is chiefly British informal usage, especially for dishonest police officers or officials.
Common pairings
bent on revenge
bent cop
a natural bent for something
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Word forms
- Plural
- bents
- Comparative
- benter, more bent
- Superlative
- bentest, most bent
Fill the gap
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She straightened the _____ paper clip and used it to open the lock.
Etymology
From the past-tense and past-participle forms of Middle English benden, "to bend."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bent
See all rhymes for bent →Frequently asked questions
What does “bent” mean?
The word “bent” means curved, folded, or twisted out of its original straight shape. In plain terms, physically curved or twisted, or, figuratively, someone who is corrupt or firmly set on doing something.
How do you pronounce “bent”?
“Bent” is pronounced behnt (/bɛnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “bent” in a sentence?
Here is “bent” used in a sentence: “The bike's front wheel was badly bent after the crash.”
What is another word for “bent”?
Words with a similar meaning to “bent” include predilection, proclivity and propensity.
What part of speech is “bent”?
Depending on how it is used, “bent” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “bent” come from?
The word “bent” comes from Middle English. From the past-tense and past-participle forms of Middle English benden, "to bend.".
Is “bent” a common word?
“Bent” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “bent” have?
“Bent” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: curved, folded, or twisted out of its original straight shape.
Is it "bent" or "bended"?
The normal past tense and past participle of bend is bent: "she bent the wire," "the frame got bent." Bended survives only in the fixed expression on bended knee (or knees), used for proposals and earnest pleading.
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