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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

• benches
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• benches
  plural

Participles

• benching
  present
• benched
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• bench
  simple
• benches
  simple
• have benched
  perfect
• has benched
  perfect
• am benching
  progressive
• are benching
  progressive
• is benching
  progressive
• have been benching
  perfect progressive
• has been benching
  perfect progressive

Past

• benched
  simple
• had benched
  perfect
• was benching
  progressive
• were benching
  progressive
• had been benching
  perfect progressive

Future

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

See Examples For:

bench Bench benches benched benching

Always perform low-impact exercises near something you can hold for support, such as a park bench or bathroom vanity.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Cameron Brink finished with seven points and five rebounds off the bench.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The justices either were long-serving members of the federal bench or are put on the federal bench prior to being elevated to the court to give them that experience.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

It felt like a potential sign of things to come on a night goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, 24, midfielder Aladji Bamba, 20 and forward Toure, 20, made their debuts and 18-year-old Steur impressed from the bench.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Fran makes me sit on a little bench near her garden, and Jonah takes the leash from her and scratches Baxter’s back while she goes inside.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Justice Shaina Leonard of Alberta’s Court of the King’s Bench said the Alberta government failed to consult indigenous groups about the potential fallout from holding a vote on the province’s future within Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

Appeared in the January 8, 2026, print edition as 'Judge Dugan Leaves the Bench'.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026

This piece was originally published in the Behind the Bench newsletter on state constitutional law.

From Slate ● Dec. 29, 2025

Grace now has a bench named after her on the finish line with a a plaque that says "Grace's Bench, Park runner extraordinaire".

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2025

If you were Indian, you knew all about Sandy June’s, eventually—and if you’re Indian from around here, how to find the Bench Tree opening, a nearly invisible entrance.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Tail Town’s main room is filled with stacked cat beds, an exercise wheel, two huge rectangular storage benches sprinkled with doughnut-shaped beds, and cat-themed art on the walls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

He began shouting and gesturing toward Caballero, which led to the benches clearing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Witkoff sat in a row of hard wooden benches often occupied by people aiming to make public displays of support for Trump—J.D.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Others on the opposition benches too criticised the government's backing of the police.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Celia asks, moving piles of books so they can sit on the violet benches but the twins both remain where they are.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

He was then benched for England's run to the T20 World Cup semi-finals in the spring.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

Coach Rod Brind’Amour benched starting goalie Frederik Andersen in Game 3, inserting Brandon Bussi, who then led the team to three straight wins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

At one after-school soccer game during Pratt’s senior year, Crossroads’ soccer coach benched him.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

But Jazz coach Will Hardy benched his top players -- a similar move to what he had done in their game against Orlando two days earlier.

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

Plus, I didn’t want English to get benched for something like renaming a play after me.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds

Before the game, Roberts admitted that she would consider benching some players if things didn’t improve.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

“But in today’s landscape, benching your stars isn’t realistic. Wins are too valuable, and money — whether we admit it or not — drives everything.”

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 30, 2026

She also has experience managing some of the company’s most delicate and important commercial and creative relationships, from the recent carriage dispute with YouTube TV to September’s benching and reinstatement of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025

Johnson does not face the same competition for his place with Wales, which is why his benching against Belgium was so striking, despite his indifferent form.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025

"No, no; I'm not hurt," she panted, sinking on the cushioned benching where usually rows of semi-sea-sick people were lying.

From The Kentons by William Dean Howells

Related Words

• board
• counter
• desk
• shelf