amendment

noun

amend·​ment ə-ˈmen(d)-mənt 

1

a

: the process of altering or amending a law or document (such as a constitution) by parliamentary or constitutional procedure

rights that were granted by amendment of the Constitution

b

: an alteration proposed or effected by this process

a constitutional amendment

2

: the act of amending something : correction

3

: a material (such as compost or sand) that aids plant growth indirectly by improving the condition of the soil

soil amendments

Did you know?

What is a constitutional amendment?

An amendment is essentially a correction. It comes in many varieties, up to and including the process of altering something through either parliamentary or constitutional procedure. In the United States, the word is often used specifically of a change to the U.S. Constitution. A constitutional amendment may be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or through a constitutional convention with majority votes in two-thirds of state legislatures. Once it is ratified by Congress, it must be approved by three-fourths (i.e., 38 of 50) of the states.

Synonyms

• modification
• alteration
• correction

Examples of amendment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The draft amendments contradict Republican rhetoric about protecting ocean life. —Ryan Green, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025

That amendment says that no plan can be drawn to favor or disfavor a political party, along with requiring that districts cannot be drawn to deny equal opportunity to racial minorities. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025

Wilson claims Middleburg filed a notice of intent and site plan to build a 280-apartment complex with the county on June 16, about two weeks before the effective date of an amendment to the Live Local Act that excludes the Wekiva Study Area from the law’s affordable housing mandates. —Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025

Southern Legacy of Life, which facilitates organ donations, challenged Act 861 of 2025, an amendment to the Revised Arkansas Anatomical Gift Act. —Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see amend

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for amendment

• intendment

Kids Definition

amendment

noun

amend·​ment ə-ˈmen(d)-mənt 

1

: the act or process of amending especially for the better

2

: a change in wording or meaning especially in a law, bill, or motion

Legal Definition

amendment

noun

amend·​ment

1

: an act of amending

especially : an alteration in wording

amendments to cure the defect in the pleading

2

: an alteration proposed or put into effect by parliamentary or constitutional procedure

the Congress…shall propose amendments to this Constitution

—U.S. Constitution art. V