When something is bent, it has been curved or angled out of its original straight shape. A bent paperclip looks crooked instead of straight. A bent tree branch might curve toward the ground under the weight of snow. You might notice your bicycle wheel is bent after hitting a pothole, causing it to wobble when you ride.

Once something has been bent, it stays that way unless you straighten it. A bent nail won't hammer in properly. A bent playing card in a deck stands out to anyone paying attention.

People also use bent to describe being strongly determined or inclined toward something. When someone is bent on winning the science fair, they're absolutely focused on that goal. If your friend seems bent on learning to skateboard, nothing will distract her from practicing. This usage suggests determination so strong it's almost like the person's will has been shaped in that particular direction, the way metal bends and holds its new form.

The past tense and past participle of bend is also bent: “Yesterday I bent the wire into a circle.”