1
as in to repair
to put into good shape or working order again
that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it
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2
as in to recover
to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness
she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu
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3
as in to heal
to restore to a healthy condition
mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again
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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
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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
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6
as in to cure
to bring about recovery from
the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mend
However, Madonna might have mended her ways in the intervening years, having famously enacted a cellphone ban during her 2019 Madame X Tour.
—
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025
China has lifted a ban on seafood imports from most regions of Japan, partially mending a years-long dispute over Tokyo’s handling of nuclear wastewater.
—Afp, Fortune, 30 June 2025
As press secretary, Moyers sought to mend the president's relationship with the media, but the stresses of the Vietnam War led to his resignation in December 1966.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 June 2025
Their relationship apparently mended, however, by the time Trump took office again, as Netanyahu was the first foreign leader invited to the White House and has since visited again.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mend
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025
China has lifted a ban on seafood imports from most regions of Japan, partially mending a years-long dispute over Tokyo’s handling of nuclear wastewater.
—Afp, Fortune, 30 June 2025
As press secretary, Moyers sought to mend the president's relationship with the media, but the stresses of the Vietnam War led to his resignation in December 1966.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 June 2025
Their relationship apparently mended, however, by the time Trump took office again, as Netanyahu was the first foreign leader invited to the White House and has since visited again.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
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Dislocated joints have been repaired, tendons have been lengthened.—
Scott Craven,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
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According to the team, the psilocybin treatments reduced oxidative stress, improved the cells' ability to repair DNA and helped preserve the length of telomeres—the protective caps on chromosomes that guard against damage leading to diseases like cancer, neurodegeneration and heart disease.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images With that being said, everyone recovers from a torn Achilles injury differently.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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In Too Much, Stalter stars as Jessica Salmon, a New Yorker in her mid-30s who, in the midst of recovering from a bad break-up, agrees to take a job in London assisting filmmakers working on commercials.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Jose Siri was getting an MRI over the weekend to see whether his fractured tibia has healed enough to start his running progression again.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Jose Siri was set to undergo an MRI over the weekend to determine whether his fractured left tibia had healed, according to Mendoza.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 July 2025
Verb
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Despite some backsliding, the EU still holds to its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, by cutting greenhouse gases and compensating for any remaining emissions.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
4 July 2025
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In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
3 July 2025
Verb
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The $28 million project aims to improve traffic flow on the busy thoroughfare and, hopefully, keep people from using local streets to get around freeway traffic.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
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Ramsay lamented the lack of a clean sheet and cited a few decision-making errors at various points in the contest that need to improve as the Loons continue their evolution, but couldn’t deny the general quality of play from his club.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Godzilla) and written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, The Lost World), Jurassic World Rebirth, now in theaters, centers on a pharmaceutical company's mission to obtain dinosaur DNA for a breakthrough drug that could cure heart disease.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
3 July 2025
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Rice's Country Hams: The family business has been curing hams since the early 1940s, owner Ginny Rice Dabbs said.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Even after stepping very far away from that role, Musk remains focused on a wide range of activities outside of Tesla, including starting a third political party and trying to fix problems at X, his social media platform.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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As for the games that drew small crowds, one way to fix that for next time is to avoid mid-week, midday games (that also would help with the oppressive heat) and not host as many group-stage matches in giant NFL stadiums.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
Verb
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More to come: Findlay Flats and Grant Park Nearly a dozen historic buildings across Vine and Elder Streets near the new community center will be rehabilitated into 45 mixed-income apartments.—
Sydney Franklin,
The Enquirer,
3 July 2025
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The chances of Combs’ image itself being significantly rehabilitated seems slim, given that violent, abusive behavior was caught on camera and aired to millions of people around the world.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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