remedy

1 of 2

noun

rem·​e·​dy ˈre-mə-dē How to pronounce remedy (audio)
plural remedies
1
: a medicine, application, or treatment that relieves or cures a disease
2
: something that corrects or counteracts
3
: the legal means to recover a right or to prevent or obtain redress for a wrong
remediless adjective

remedy

2 of 2

verb

remedied; remedying

transitive verb

: to provide or serve as a remedy for : relieve
remedy a social evil
Choose the Right Synonym for remedy

correct, rectify, emend, remedy, redress, amend, reform, revise mean to make right what is wrong.

correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects.

correct your spelling

rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed.

rectify a misguided policy

emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript.

emend a text

remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil.

set out to remedy the evils of the world

redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance.

redress past social injustices

amend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes

amend a law

, reform implying drastic change

plans to reform the court system

, and revise suggesting a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes.

revise the schedule

Examples of remedy in a Sentence

Noun Building more roads isn't always the best remedy for traffic congestion. The problem was beyond remedy. She was left without remedy since the court did not recognize her claim. Verb Something must be done to remedy the problem. The conflict can be remedied by scheduling the meeting for next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
If Ward’s bill passes, victims of hate littering could pursue a claim for up to $25,000 in penalties and other civil remedies. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024 Spend your afternoon exploring the Primeval Garden, which time travels back 150 million years ago; or learn about medicinal plants that have been used as remedies for thousands of years. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024 Trian’s 133-page document on Disney spends much ink on the company’s problems, but is short on specific remedies. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Beginning in the 1970s, the Supreme Court began to vacillate on remedies for descendants of slavery. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The city has since come into compliance, but because the developers submitted their application before Housing and Community Development approved La Cañada’s housing element plan, the builder’s remedy provision remained an option. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Jinhua has not agreed to a recall or to offer a remedy for customers, according to the CPSC. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 If listed in inspection reports, remedies implemented during the inspection are noted. Michael Braga, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Research finds about 80 percent of U.S. trade remedies cases seek to limit imports of raw materials or intermediate inputs needed by the petitioners’ customers to produce their goods and services. Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
In the past, courts typically have upheld government affirmative action programs on the grounds that society has an interest in remedying past and ongoing discrimination, said Joy Milligan, a former lawyer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund who now teaches at the University of Virginia. Julian Mark, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 This not only cultivates a diverse pool of ideas but also allows companies to identify and remedy pain points proactively. Nick Kasmik, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 The people who run a fan podcast about the Columbus Blue Jackets have apologized for making a suicide reference about a forward who is in the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program and vowed to take steps to remedy their mistake. Mike Brehm, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2024 To remedy this de-emphasis on starting pitching, the league is floating the possibility of reducing the size of teams’ pitching staffs by one, from 13 to 12, and potentially doing it as soon as next year. Jared Wyllys, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Stains that are left to sit that long could end up impossible to get out, so do your best to remedy them before tucking things away for the season. Abby Ferguson, Popular Science, 28 Feb. 2024 Because this act proved devastating to tribes, Congress enacted the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934 in an attempt to remedy the harmful effects of allotment and to promote tribal self-governance. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 If none of these options remedy the problem or if the force quit menu won't open, restart your computer. USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024 The thermostat features a monitor that alerts you to smoke detection, as well as poor air quality and offers tips to remedy it as well. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'remedy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English remedie, from Anglo-French, from Latin remedium, from re- + mederi to heal — more at medical

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of remedy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near remedy

Cite this Entry

“Remedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remedy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

remedy

1 of 2 noun
rem·​e·​dy ˈrem-əd-ē How to pronounce remedy (audio)
plural remedies
1
: a medicine or treatment that cures or relieves
2
: something that corrects an evil, rights a wrong, or makes up for a loss

remedy

2 of 2 verb
remedied; remedying
: to provide or serve as a remedy for : relieve

Medical Definition

remedy

noun
rem·​e·​dy ˈrem-əd-ē How to pronounce remedy (audio)
plural remedies
: a medicine, application, or treatment that relieves or cures a disease
remedy transitive verb
remedied; remedying

Legal Definition

remedy

1 of 2 noun
rem·​e·​dy
plural remedies
: the means to enforce a right or to prevent or obtain redress for a wrong : the relief (as damages, restitution, specific performance, or an injunction) that may be given or ordered by a court or other tribunal for a wrong
if the contract is null and void, the remedy is to rescind and to put the parties in the position in which they were prior to the attempted agreementFirst Nat'l Mortgage Corp. v. The Manhattan Life Ins. Co., 360 So. 2d 264 (1978)
specific performance and other equitable remedies
remediless adjective

remedy

2 of 2 transitive verb
remedied; remedying
: to provide or serve as a remedy for

More from Merriam-Webster on remedy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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