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Amend vs. Emend
The question of whether to use amend or emend is a vexing one for many people, complicated by the fact that the words sound quite similar and have meanings that overlap to a considerable degree. Both words can be used with the meanings “to improve” or “to correct,” but there are subtle differences. Emend is most often used in connection with changes to some form of written material, such as a text or manuscript; while such documents may also be described as amended, amend can apply to improvements or corrections made to things other than writing, as in “he amended his behavior.” The confusion is compounded by the fact that one of the most frequently encountered uses of amend is in reference to a document: the Constitution of the United States.
Examples of amend in a Sentence
Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
The most straightforward would be amending the Constitution, either by a two-thirds vote in Congress or by two-thirds of U.S. states agreeing to call a constitutional convention to propose the changes.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Under the order, the Attorney General will repeal or amend regulations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act related to disparate-impact liability.
—Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
Best planted in late fall or winter, amend the soil with some coffee grounds to improve drainage.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amend
Cite this Entry
“Amend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amend. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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