AMEND Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'amend' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of amend are correct , emend , rectify , redress , reform , remedy , and revise . While all these words mean "to make right what is wrong," amend , reform , revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes. // amend a law

Q: When is it sensible to use 'correct' instead of 'amend'?

The words correct and amend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects. // correct your spelling

Q: When can 'emend' be used instead of 'amend'?

In some situations, the words emend and amend are roughly equivalent. However, emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript. // emend a text

Q: When could 'rectify' be used to replace 'amend'?

While in some cases nearly identical to amend , rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed. // rectify a misguided policy

Q: Where would 'redress' be a reasonable alternative to 'amend'?

The meanings of redress and amend largely overlap; however, redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance. // redress past social injustices

Q: When might 'reform' be a better fit than 'amend'?

Although the words reform and amend have much in common, reform implies drastic change. // plans to reform the court system

Q: In what contexts can 'remedy' take the place of 'amend'?

While the synonyms remedy and amend are close in meaning, remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil. // set out to remedy the evils of the world

Q: When would 'revise' be a good substitute for 'amend'?

The words revise and amend can be used in similar contexts, but revise suggests a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes. // revise the schedule

amend

verb

ə-ˈmend

Definition of amend

as in to improve

to make better trying to amend the situation of the striking workers by supplying them with minimal food supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to correct

to remove errors, defects, deficiencies, or deviations from the Bill of Rights was adopted in an effort to amend a constitution that seemed to many to be deficient in guaranteeing individual rights

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to reform

to change one's behavior or character for the better the judge had heard the defendant promise before that he would amend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb amend differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of amend are correct, emend, rectify, redress, reform, remedy, and revise. While all these words mean "to make right what is wrong," amend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes.

amend a law

When is it sensible to use correct instead of amend?

The words correct and amend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects.

correct your spelling

When can emend be used instead of amend?

In some situations, the words emend and amend are roughly equivalent. However, emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript.

emend a text

When could rectify be used to replace amend?

While in some cases nearly identical to amend, rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed.

rectify a misguided policy

Where would redress be a reasonable alternative to amend?

The meanings of redress and amend largely overlap; however, redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance.

redress past social injustices

When might reform be a better fit than amend?

Although the words reform and amend have much in common, reform implies drastic change.

plans to reform the court system

In what contexts can remedy take the place of amend?

While the synonyms remedy and amend are close in meaning, remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil.

set out to remedy the evils of the world

When would revise be a good substitute for amend?

The words revise and amend can be used in similar contexts, but revise suggests a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes.

revise the schedule

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 amend Beatty amended her suit to stop the closure and requested information to evaluate the validity of the decision. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 2 Nov. 2026 Gleason dismissed the case without prejudice, denied permission to amend again, and rejected the discovery request as moot. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Nov. 2026 Question 3 would amend the Maryland Constitution to remove any constitutional restrictions on how congressional districts are drawn. — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 1 Nov. 2026 Pike’s legal team has asked a judge to amend their complaint to reflect what happened to her on September 30. — Devon M. Sayers, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amend

Recent Examples of Synonyms for amend

Verb

Moon’s priorities for another term included expanding students’ access to mental health services, improving teacher recruitment and retention, and increasing career technical education opportunities.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Serve the easy meal, use the good blanket, and let a pleasure count without improving it.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of improve

Verb

Without a mechanism to correct these errors, the inaccurate information could remain in the robot’s memory and affect subsequent decisions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
An overconfident driver can follow too closely, carry too much speed into a curve or assume technology will correct a bad decision.

— Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of correct

Verb

Attempts to reform and expedite the appeals process over the years have further gummed up the system.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Across the country, Democrats stood up for big policy changes like increasing the federal minimum wage, expanding child care, reining in Big Tech, data centers, and AI, and reforming health care.

— Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Time, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of reform

Verb

Throughout history, some were commissioned to enhance the interiors with their signature flair while others bartered their artwork for breaks on daily rates and others simply just thrived off the scene.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Each picture mode offers essentially the same rich set of options, except for AI-enhanced, which locks you out of some settings (including local contrast and color tuner), presumably because the AI logic is handling those.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of enhance

Verb

How dupes are rewriting what counts as impressive Traditional luxury has always leaned on exclusivity, recognizable branding and premium prices.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
There is a long history of political leaders and cartographers using place naming to assert raw power by rewriting the world map.

— Reuben Rose-Redwood, Time, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rewrite

Verb

The new material combines kerosene, lecithin, and calcium chloride to produce a gel that behaves more like a soft solid at rest but flows when subjected to force or heat, according to a study.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
Your body behaves as though something dangerous is happening.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of behave

Verb

To remedy the issue, your county elections office will provide you with a form to fill out and return completed.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
For years, federal lawmakers have tried to remedy this issue, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

— Stephanie O'Neill, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of remedy

Browse Nearby Words

amenable

amend

amendable

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Amend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amend. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of amend

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

abandon

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes