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• bench
  bench

  noun

  a long seat for several people.
• Bench
  Bench

  noun

  Johnny, born 1947, U.S. baseball player.

bench

¹ American  

[bench] / bɛntʃ /

noun

1. a long seat for several people.

   a bench in the park.

2. a seat occupied by an official, especially a judge.

3. such a seat as a symbol of the office and dignity of an individual judge or the judiciary.

4. the office or dignity of various other officials, or the officials themselves.

5. 1. the seat on which the players of a team sit during a game while not playing.

   2. the quality and number of the players of a team who are usually used as substitutes.

      A weak bench hurt their chances for the championship.

   3. the quality and number of professionals or experts in reserve, to be called upon as needed.

      The country has a deep bench of scientists.

6. Informal. bench press.

7. Also called workbench.  the strong worktable of a carpenter or other mechanic.

8. a platform on which animals are placed for exhibition, especially at a dog show.

9. a contest or exhibition of dogs; dog show.

10. Physical Geography. a shelflike area of rock with steep slopes above and below.

11. Mining. a step or working elevation in a mine.

12. berm.

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verb (used with object)

benches, present (3rd person singular) benched, past participle, past benching present participle

1. to furnish with benches.

2. to seat on a bench or on the bench.

   an election that benched him in the district court.

3. to place (a show dog or other animal) in exhibition.

4. to cut away the working faces of (a mine or quarry) in benches.

5. Sports. to remove from a game or keep from participating in a game.

   to be benched because of poor hitting.

idioms

1. on the bench,

   1. serving as a judge in a court of law; presiding.

   2. Sports. (of a player) not participating in play, either for part or all of a game.

Bench ² American  

[bench] / bɛntʃ /

noun

1. Johnny, born 1947, U.S. baseball player.

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bench British  

/ bɛntʃ /

noun

1. a long seat for more than one person, usually lacking a back or arms

2. a plain stout worktable

3. (sometimes capital)

   1. a judge or magistrate sitting in court in a judicial capacity

   2. judges or magistrates collectively

4. sport the seat on which reserve players and officials sit during a game

5. geology a flat narrow platform of land, esp one marking a former shoreline

6. a ledge in a mine or quarry from which work is carried out

7. (in a gymnasium) a low table, which may be inclined, used for various exercises

8. a platform on which dogs or other domestic animals are exhibited at shows

9. a hollow on a hillside formed by sheep

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verb

1. to provide with benches

2. to exhibit (a dog, etc) at a show

3. to form (a track) up a hill by excavating a flattened area

4. sport to take or keep (a player) out of a game, often for disciplinary reasons

bench More Idioms  

1. see on the bench; warm the bench.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unbench
  verb (used with object)
• benchless
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have benched
  perfect
• has benched
  perfect 3rd person singular
• am benching
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been benching
  perfect progressive
• has been benching
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• benches
  singular 3rd person
• benching
  participle
• is benching
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are benching
  progressive

Past

• had benched
  perfect
• were benching
  progressive plural
• benched
  participle
• was benching
  progressive singular
• benched
  simple
• had been benching
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bench
  simple
• will have benched
  perfect
• will have been benching
  perfect progressive
• will be benching
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of bench

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English benc; cognate with Old Frisian benk, Old Saxon, Dutch, Old High German bank, Old Norse bekkr, from unattested Germanic bank-iz; see bank ¹

Explanation

A bench is a long, flat seat that can usually accommodate several people. A city park bench is a nice place to sit and eat a sandwich. A picnic table often has benches, and a bench is where baseball players wait for their turn to take a swing at the ball. You might have a work bench in your garage for gluing model planes together. A judge's symbolic office is known as "the bench," and to bench an athlete is to make her take a break from the court or field — if she has to do this often, she'll be known as a "bench warmer."

Example Sentences

And the bench of venture-backed AI roll-up companies has expanded in recent years to include companies like London-based Dwelly, which acquires property-management companies, and San Francisco-based Crescendo, which focuses on call centers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Spanish-born Alvaro Fidalgo's decision in February to represent Mexico rather than wait for a Spanish call-up, which would be unlikely to come, may mean that Mora has to begin the tournament on the bench.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

It’s doubtful that Ross or any judge would exhibit such leniency from the bench when confronted with litigants’ similar misconduct.

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

Four years later in Qatar, he played two matches and was stranded on the bench by Mexico’s coach at the time, Gerardo Martino, against eventual champion Argentina.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

He’s on the bench with like twenty other guys.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• board
• counter
• desk
• shelf