mend

1
2
3
4
as in to compensate
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 & Similar Words

5
as in to improve
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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mend contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mend are patch, rebuild, and repair. While all these words mean "to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective," mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

When is patch a more appropriate choice than mend?

Although the words patch and mend have much in common, patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

Where would rebuild be a reasonable alternative to mend?

The words rebuild and mend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

When can repair be used instead of mend?

The words repair and mend can be used in similar contexts, but repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mend More top news stories: 5 in custody after fatal shooting in Oak Park Jim Dodge, incoming Orland Park mayor, lays out short-term priorities, mending relations with police How President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs could affect your wallet Which impacts will be felt by consumers and workers first? Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025 Here's Who Qualifies Neil Gorsuch Breaks With Supreme Court in Rare Opinion Alito warned about the dangers of reconsidering Court decisions but said the Confrontation Clause needs mending. Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 Your wedding does not have to be the place to mend your relationship. Charna Flam, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025 The rift comes a little more than two years after Mayor Karen Bass went to the board to mend the fractured relationship between the city and county on homelessness. David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
  • In the 50 years since, particularly the past 30 after formal relations were normalized in 1995, Washington has pursued reconciliation efforts with Hanoi, including a number of programs that sought to repair some of the damage the war wrought on generations of Vietnamese.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Amtrak’s excuse for killing so many trains for so many New Yorkers on some of the busiest routes in the country is that the federal railway monopoly will be repairing parts of the East River Tunnel.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Agents and forensic experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recovered and analyzed key evidence from the Tesla attack, including Molotov cocktails allegedly used in the arson.
    Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
  • Josh Butler — who started three games in Bland’s absence and played well — is also recovering from a torn ACL.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Her writing provides readers with a sanctuary to step back, reflect inward, and heal on an individual basis.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 9 May 2025
  • Demonstrating his support and sensitivity, Justin makes a concerted effort to help Keisha heal from—and not be defined—by the experience.
    Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • What To Know Electric vehicle registration fees vary widely across the country, with some states already charging EV drivers more to compensate for their lack of fuel tax contributions.
    Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
  • Trained as an electronic engineer at a school of advanced studies in Venezuela, Pernía, 37, has had to compensate for his losses by working as a driver, using his car to support his wife and child.
    Gustavo Ocando Alex, Miami Herald, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Get regular exercise: Walking and swimming are effective ways to help improve your vascular (vein) health.
    Sarah Hudgens, Health, 2 May 2025
  • The move is an escalation in an ongoing battle over fluoride, which effectively prevents dental cavities and improves oral health.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • While antibiotics can help treat and cure the infection, if left untreated, TB can lead to severe infection, and even death.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 1 May 2025
  • Although mCRPC cannot be cured, treatment options are available to help slow the cancer and improve quality of life.
    Jamin Brahmbhatt, Verywell Health, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The network has put together a focus group to figure out how to fix the issue.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 2 May 2025
  • Now, with the stroke of a pen, that halting progress has been wiped away, even as the president and his allies insist that improving mental health is the only way to fix the gun violence epidemic.
    Arthur Jones II, ABC News, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • His actions solidified the public’s perception of him as unlikely to ever rehabilitate his image or return to public duties.
    Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • And if Harvey Weinstein, the man whose name became synonymous with #MeToo, can be rehabilitated, well … maybe #MeToo never even happened?
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 26 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 14 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!