mend

1 to put into good shape or working order again that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it Synonyms doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp Related Words fix up, furbish, overhaul, rebuild, reconstruct, refurbish; aid, cure, heal, help; condition, prepare, ready; care (for), maintain, service; freshen, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive; adjust, correct, modify, rectify, redress, reform, right; ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate Near Antonyms blemish, break, damage, deface, disfigure, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, ruin, spoil, vandalize, wreck; cripple, disable, maim, mangle, mutilate

2 to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu Synonyms come back, gain, heal, convalesce, pull round [chiefly British], rally, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap backRelated Words come around, come round, come to, improve, pick up, revive; cheer (up), perk (up); pull through, survive; recruitNear Antonyms ail, collapse, come down, sicken; decline, degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen; regress, relapse

3 to restore to a healthy condition mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again Synonyms cure, fix, heal, rehab, rehabilitate, set upRelated Words attend (to), care (for), doctor, medicate, minister (to), nurse, physic, treat; fortify, rejuvenate, renew, resuscitate, revitalize, revive; alleviate, relieve, remedy, repairNear Antonyms cripple, damage, disable, harm, hurt, impair, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, wound; afflict, ail, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, lay up, sap, sicken, waste, weaken

4 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 atone (for), expiate, redeemRelated Words compensate, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay; amend, correct, rectify, redress; propitiate

5 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 amend, reform, shape up, straighten (up or out)Related Words behave, regenerate; better, improveNear Antonyms backslide, regress

6 to bring about recovery from the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart Synonyms heal, cure, remedyRelated Words allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve; palliate, salve, soothe; ease, lighten, moderate, temper; doctor, nurse; medicate, treat; diagnoseNear Antonyms aggravate, worsen; misdiagnose, overdiagnose, underdiagnose