mend

1 to put into good shape or working order again <that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it> Synonyms doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp Related Words fix up, furbish, overhaul, rebuild, reconstruct, refurbish; aid, cure, heal, help; condition, prepare, ready; care (for), maintain, service; freshen, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive; adjust, correct, modify, rectify, redress, reform, right; ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate Near Antonyms blemish, break, damage, deface, disfigure, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, ruin, spoil, vandalize, wreck; cripple, disable, maim, mangle, mutilate

2 to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness <she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu> Synonyms come back, gain, heal, convalesce, pull round [chiefly British], rally, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap backRelated Words come around, come round, come to, improve, pick up, revive; cheer (up), perk (up); pull through, survive; recruitNear Antonyms ail, collapse, come down, sicken; decline, degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen; regress, relapse

3 to restore to a healthy condition <mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again> Synonyms cure, fix, heal, rehab, rehabilitate, set upRelated Words attend (to), care (for), doctor, medicate, minister (to), nurse, physic, treat; fortify, rejuvenate, renew, resuscitate, revitalize, revive; alleviate, relieve, remedy, repairNear Antonyms cripple, damage, disable, harm, hurt, impair, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, wound; afflict, ail, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, lay up, sap, sicken, waste, weaken

4 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 atone (for), expiate, redeemRelated Words compensate, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay; amend, correct, rectify, redress; propitiate

5 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 amend, reform, shape up, straighten (up or out)Related Words behave, regenerate; better, improveNear Antonyms backslide, regress

6 to bring about recovery from <the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart> Synonyms heal, cure, remedyRelated Words allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve; palliate, salve, soothe; ease, lighten, moderate, temper; doctor, nurse; medicate, treat; diagnoseNear Antonyms aggravate, worsen; misdiagnose, overdiagnose, underdiagnose