mending 1 of 3

as in rehabilitation
the process or period of gradually regaining one's health and strength it was a long slow mending of his injuries from the car crash, but he's fine now

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mending

2 of 3

adjective

mending

3 of 3

verb

present participle of mend
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as in compensating
to make up for (an offense) the proverb "least said, soonest mended" should be heeded by anyone tempted to angrily blurt out things they really don't mean

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in improving
to change one's behavior or character for the better everyone's written her off as a liar and a thief, but I say it's never too late to mend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mending
Noun
Jacob Elordi may have made visible mending look cute on the big screen. Michele Promaulayko, Allure, 17 June 2026 Simply tossing all your clothes into the washer can sometimes result in damaged garments that require replacements or mending. Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026 If a piece is salvageable and needs some mending or a powerful stain remover, set it aside and make a plan to attend to it. Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Apr. 2026 While the company’s humble beginnings began as a simple mending solution, Vivolo believes the future of trims will be about integration between craftsmanship and technology. Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026 Family ties may need some mending, and once they’ve been handled, those bonds could be immensely helpful. Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026 Visitors can try their hand at skills such as block printing, moss wall art, and Japanese sashiko mending. Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026 Sometimes our brains need something completely different to concentrate on while our hearts do their mending. Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025 Their relationship definitely needs mending. Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Cooking and preparing food, spinning and weaving cloth, washing and mending clothes, and caring for the sick were just some of the kinds of labor that supported the fledgling nation. Carolyn Zola, The Conversation, 11 June 2026 Dirty or dusty flags can be washed or dry cleaned, and there are no provisions against mending or repairing a flag, according to the American Legion. Darleene Powells, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026 Tager explained that the process involved mending the canvas, then treating the layers of paint to ensure that the damage was undetectable. News Desk, Artforum, 9 June 2026 Around the same time as the engagement photo shoots, the brides-to-be start mending their porcelain plates, which were ceremoniously shattered so the brides-to-be could mend them. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 13 May 2026 The president’s latest barbs came just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to the Vatican for a fence-mending visit. Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026 Here Hathaway plays a pop star in crisis, busy mending her relationship with her former costume designer and best friend, played by Michaela Coel, on the eve of a comeback that doesn’t exactly promise levity. Maddalena Gomez, Vanity Fair, 27 Apr. 2026 Meyers said Thursday that mending the relationship between the school and households will be important, but that there is only so much that can be done. Samuel O’Neal April 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026 Feeding the needy and mending cultural divides over the course of 24 hours is a tall order. Monique John, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mending
Noun
  • Francois, who runs a medical rehabilitation in New York and brought his adult kids to see Les Grenadiers, said Haiti’s qualification, achieved amid extraordinary circumstances, was itself cause for celebration.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
  • Contemporary Pilates This form of Pilates blends classical principles with modern scientific developments and rehabilitation techniques.
    Maggie Donahue, Health, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • Plus, its 3-hour battery life means less charging, and more recovering.
    Talene Appleton, Men's Health, 31 Jan. 2023
  • She was taken to a hospital with punctures and lacerations and is stable and recovering.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2022
Verb
  • The funding was also used to improve transportation access by adding bikeways, repairing sidewalks and upgrading transit signal priority infrastructure.
    Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026
  • The Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club, a trail maintenance crew, is repairing it and hopes to have it online soon.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Within days of using it, my skin felt softer, looked more hydrated, and even began healing itself again.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • This vital initiative offers a sense of normalcy and healing through play, fostering teamwork, confidence, and essential life skills.
    Michael Sandler, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • In addition to environmental education and advocacy, the center’s mission includes propagating rare and endangered native plants and rehabilitating birds of prey, reptiles and amphibians.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 24 June 2026
  • Barry Manilow is recovering from lung cancer and rehabilitating his singing voice in hopes of returning to the stage to promote his first album of new songs in nearly 15 years, What a Time.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Ultimately, every hire should create value equal to or exceeding the investment the company makes in hiring, developing, and compensating them.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • This current success is largely attributed to coach Lionel Scaloni, who has masterfully built the Argentine team around Messi, compensating for his age while maximizing his unparalleled technical ability.
    Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • How airlines and airports can do better Maglione and Riccobono both said that training and implementing new technology can go a long way toward improving the flying experience for blind travelers.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • Crews successfully removed parts of the exterior wall, improving their ability to access interior fire areas and blast large volumes of water, the fire department said.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • This material is polyurea coating—a fast-curing and durable surface membrane that can seal in water and is often used to coat swimming pools.
    Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 June 2026
  • In Neighborhood, an understated restaurant tucked away in a Hong Kong alley, chef David Lai is patiently scoring, marinating and curing a fresh pomfret he’s just picked up at the market.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 16 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mending. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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