how to pronounce bent

/ˈbɛnt/

audio example by a male speaker

audio example by a female speaker

the above transcription of bent is a detailed (narrow) transcription according to the rules of the International Phonetic Association; you can find a description of each symbol by clicking the phoneme buttons in the secction below.

bent is pronounced in one syllable

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1. example pitch curve for pronunciation of bent

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video examples of bent pronunciation

An example use of bent in a speech by a native speaker of american english:

“… not it's not hell-bent on taking over …”

meanings of bent

noun:

Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.
A declivity or slope, as of a hill.
Such a subunit as a component of a barn's framing, joined to other bents by girts and summer beams.
An inclination or talent.
The old dried stalks of grasses.
(carpentry) A transverse frame of a framed structure; a subunit of framing.
A grassy area, grassland.
Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus.
Such a subunit as a reinforcement to, or integral part of, a bridge's framing.
The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity.
Any of various stiff or reedy grasses.
A predisposition to act or react in a particular way.

adjective:

High from both marijuana and alcohol.
Homosexual.
Folded, dented.
Corrupt, dishonest.
Determined or insistent.
Leading a life of crime.
Suffering from the bends.
Inaccurately aimed.

verb:

Simple past tense and past participle of bend.

bent frequency in english - C1 level of CEFR

the word bent occurs in english on average 14.2 times per one million words; this frequency warrants it to be in the study list for C1 level of language mastery according to CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference.