rectify
verb
Did you know?
Don’t worry if you struggle with the word rectify—we’re here to set you straight. When you rectify something, you correct an error or make things right, which is fitting because rectify and correct both ultimately trace back to the Latin word regere, which can mean “to lead straight,” “to direct,” or “to rule.” Rectify has had its “to set right” meaning since the early 16th century, but the word has over the years accrued various other meanings as well, including the specialized uses “to purify especially by repeated or fractional distillation” (as in “rectified alcohol”), “to make (an alternating current) unidirectional,” and several medical applications having to do with healing of one kind or another. Regere plays a part in the histories of a number of familiar English words, in addition to those mentioned above; the many relatives of rectify include direct, resurrection, and regimen.
Examples of rectify in a Sentence
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
The Nigerian Supreme Court finally has a chance to rectify this injustice.
—Sean Nelson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
North Texas’ defense was at or near the bottom of the conference each of the last two years, but Morris hired former Sam Houston defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity, who seems to have rectified the issue as the Mean Green are currently third in the conference in yards allowed per game.
—Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
The company is now trying to rectify both mistakes, Bodner added, despite declines in the DTC business model that has plagued others like Casper, Allbirds, and Stitch Fix.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rectify
Cite this Entry
“Rectify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rectify. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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rectify
verb
Medical Definition
rectify
transitive verb
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