Showing results for "unbending"

• present participle of unbend.

unbending

American  

[uhn-ben-ding] / ʌnˈbɛn dɪŋ /

adjective

1. not bending or curving; inflexible; rigid.

2. refusing to yield or compromise; resolute.

3. austere or formal; aloof.

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unbending British  

/ ʌnˈbɛndɪŋ /

adjective

1. rigid or inflexible

2. characterized by sternness or severity

   an unbending rule

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Other Word Forms

• unbendingness
  noun
• unbendingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of unbending

First recorded in 1545–55; un- ¹ + bend ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something that's unbending is strict or inflexible, like an unbending rule in your grandparents' house that everyone has to take their shoes off, no matter what. When people are described as being unbending, they're typically inflexible about rules or behavior. Your unbending math teacher might refuse to give homework extensions and lock the door so that tardy students can't slip into class late. This adjective inspired the figurative sense of the verb unbend, to relax or become less reserved. If you tend to be unbending, your friends may encourage you to unbend a little on the weekends.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unbending

In his one shot at the Champions League, Postecoglou was unbending in his attacking mindset even when drawn against Real Madrid.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2024

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have taken an unbending line in support of Ukraine, and this could make it difficult for one of their leaders to get the job.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 28, 2023

Religion tends to be about absolute truths and unbending principles.

From Slate ● Nov. 9, 2023

And yet they’re powerfully redemptive, mostly through White’s unbending love for even his most screwed-up creations, which somehow makes us feel better about ourselves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023

She was nearly seventy, but her zeal was unbending.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende