What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
bend
Example
He carefully bent the wire into a circle. [bent: past tense]
Example
The road bends sharply to the left up ahead. [bends: verb]
curve
Example
The river curves around the mountain, creating a beautiful landscape. [curves: verb]
Example
She drew a perfect curve on the paper. [curve: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Bend is more commonly used than curve in everyday language. Bend is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while curve is less common and often used in specific situations, such as describing the shape of a line or surface.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between bend and curve?
While bend is typically associated with a casual and informal tone, curve is more neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.