bender

American  

[ben-der] / ˈbɛn dər /

noun

1. a person or thing that bends, as a pair of pliers or a powered machine.

2. Slang. a drinking spree.

3. Baseball Slang. curve.

---

bender British  

/ ˈbɛndə /

noun

1. informal a drinking bout

2. taboo a male homosexual

3. informal a makeshift shelter constructed by placing tarpaulin or plastic sheeting over bent saplings or woven branches

---

Etymology

Origin of bender

1200–50; Middle English (in surnames); see bend ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

And this latest fender bender might be the one that finally illuminates dashboard warning lights for those bosses who have always so hastily turned to Woods in the past.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The damage included shooting down one of our own fighter jets and a carrier fender bender with a civilian ship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

A fender bender that would be a simple fix on a traditional vehicle could require an expensive and lengthy repair on an EV to mend the battery and recalibrate the car and its sensors.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2025

Then, when I departed said strip mall and made a left-hand turn across four lanes of traffic, I hit another car—it was worse than a fender bender, but no one was hurt.

From Slate • May 12, 2024

All told, that little fender bender cost me four sols.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir