mend

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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

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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

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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 The two appear to have since mended their relationship, and shared a brief, but significant, in-person sit-down—their first since the Oval Office clash—ahead of Pope Francis’ funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on April 26. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 May 2025 If America can mend that contract before Trump and his MAGA movement inflict lasting damage…then there is still hope. Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 12 May 2025 Back in Jackson Hole, Joel seeks help to mend his relationship with Ellie. Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025 Allies had to work behind the scenes to mend relations after the U.S. cut off intelligence sharing and all aid to Ukraine. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
  • The vehicles are equipped with 2.5L HEV or PHEV engines repaired incorrectly under recall 23V380.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • Thinking of the long-term and sending shoes back to be repaired and rejuvenated is the right approach for the future. FC: Crockett & Jones has featured in several James Bond films.
    Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Start by using a hardware method to recover most of the raw data from the drive.
    Chongwei Chen, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Quarterbacks aren’t supposed to recover from an Achilles injury in their 40s and return to throw for nearly 4,000 yards.
    Will Graves, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Rather than pushing forward, take this time to heal, recharge, and prepare for what’s next.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
  • As a result, the Royals took a precautionary measure to allow Erceg to heal from the injury.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • In 2020, a judge ruled that shareholders had been fairly compensated.
    Jemima McEvoy, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • If a borrower, in this case, the U.S. government defaults on its debt, the seller must compensate the buyer.
    Lee Ying Shan,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Doing so not only creates a tidier physical space but also improves mental space since you’re not left dwelling on what to do with your things.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
  • Levy said that if the political climate doesn’t improve, business for him will likely be even worse in 2026.
    Jason Carroll, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • Optimists like Marc Andreessen, co-creator of the Mosaic browser, insist that artificial intelligence will solve our most pressing problems—curing disease, eliminating scarcity, even boosting creativity to superhuman levels.
    Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • Within three months, Dave, a physical therapist in Overland Park, cured my leaky gut problem.
    Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • As of now, the issue has mostly been fixed, though not entirely.
    Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
  • Keep in mind that bush-type beans and peas generally don't need support, but pole beans require trellises or cages for their vining stems. Lupines: Many growers don't realize that lupines belong to the legume family and can also benefit neighboring plants with their nitrogen fixing roots.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
Verb
  • The program has rescued and rehabilitated 24 seals in 2025 alone, according to the aquarium.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2025
  • Nor were they educated or important enough to be rehabilitated into the West German government — like the former Nazis who, by 1957, made up some 76 percent of the senior officials in the Justice Ministry of the Federal Republic.
    Henry Leutwyler Robert Petkoff Emma Kehlbeck Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 20 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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