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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to heal
to restore to a healthy condition
mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in to cure
to bring about recovery from
the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The two have appeared to at least partially mend their relationship since then, with Musk visiting the White House for a dinner with Saudi Arabia's crown prince.
—
CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Things were mended before my mother’s death, but family members and I rarely interact.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
The reports come after Fergie tried to personally mend her relationship with the Royal family over the holidays.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 29 Dec. 2025
The emotional wounds from that night will take time to mend, and some scars may never fully fade.
—Kriti Gupta, Refinery29, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mend
CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
Things were mended before my mother’s death, but family members and I rarely interact.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
The reports come after Fergie tried to personally mend her relationship with the Royal family over the holidays.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 29 Dec. 2025
The emotional wounds from that night will take time to mend, and some scars may never fully fade.
—Kriti Gupta, Refinery29, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
-
Crews are also repairing roads in Topanga Canyon after the fire and ensuing rain damaged them and closed the community to outside traffic.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Often, after years of trying to repair their relationships without success, these same women often bear the emotional and logistical labor of calling an end to them.—
Oona Metz,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The 2026 Games are scheduled to begin in less than a month, giving Kim a short window to recover and pursue her third consecutive gold medal in the halfpipe.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
When Pritchard lost control of the ball, dove on the floor to recover it and fed a pass to White for an open three, Andrew Nembhard canned a three of his own a minute later.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Aquaphor Lip Repair Balm not only soothes and heals dry lips, but also has SPF 30 sunscreen for additional protection against the sun’s harmful rays.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Creative expression as a path to healing Art therapy offers a similar reset, focusing on expression rather than outcomes.—
Nicole Nielsen,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For years, public-school teachers in Florida’s cities were paid more than those in rural areas, to compensate for their higher cost of living.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Local residents have advocated for a more permanent solution to the violent elephant encounters, and for the families of the deceased to be compensated.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Carolina Panthers’ defense improved in almost every major statistical category from 2024 to 2025.—
Mike Kaye
January 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Tapascott said everything improves when weight drops, from acceleration to braking and efficiency.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Is there anything better at curing the January blues than planning a trip to a sunny destination?—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Damion Downs, the USMNT forward formerly of Koln, has been signed on loan from Southampton and will be depended upon to help cure that issue and keep Merlin Polzin’s side out of danger.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than just fix the problem, the sport might want to identify what exactly the problem is.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Some of the most compelling accessibility tech didn’t try to fix vision so much as translate the visual world into something usable.—
Eric Sullivan,
Scientific American,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Grant Williams has played in the last two games, making his season debut after spending the past 14 months rehabilitating a torn right ACL.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
-
At the same time, crews will rehabilitate the bridge at Lake and Spruce roads.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
