mends

present tense third-person singular of mend
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as in compensates
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 improves
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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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 mends Fixing the deep systemic wounds for these specific groups ultimately mends and strengthens the entire corporate structure. Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 Nothing mends a friendship quite like an exorcism. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 Mason Thames stars in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon as series protagonist Hiccup, a young Viking who mends a rift between his village and a group of dragons. Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 Last month, the Dutch social enterprise United Repair Centre (URC), which mends clothing from performancewear brands such as Patagonia, Decathlon, Arc’teryx and The North Face, opened its second international outpost in Paris. Fleur Britten, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2026 The money helps to keep its doors open, fund church programs and mends the spirit of its congregation, the church wrote. Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mends
Verb
  • One company might cap HVAC repairs at $2,000 while another allows up to $6,500.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
  • At these events, Susie repairs leather items, such as belts and purses, even leather vests and jackets, but usually not shoes.
    Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The South China Morning Post reported that the line recovers more than 98 percent of the available cesium and over 95 percent of the rubidium.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Evans fumbles at the 1 yard line and Brandon Paisley recovers it for Winter Park.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Shaheed is the third (at best) option in the passing game of a run-first team that will be rolling out a backup under center until Sam Darnold’s butt heals (true story).
    Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The Followers of Christ sect believes that God heals the faithful and that life and death must be left to God’s divine will.
    Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Pay now or later, or not at all Some mutual fund share classes charge a sales commission, or load, that compensates the broker or advisor who sells the fund.
    Debbie Carlson, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That's because the remaining healthy testicle often compensates by producing enough testosterone and sperm on its own.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • Portland drops to 7-4-3 at home, while Atlanta United improves to 3-7-4 on the road.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Markets still are developing despite cautious interest Even as perennial grain development steadily improves and more farmers sign on to grow it, there still are issues with consumer interest, federal support and research infrastructure.
    Joshua A. Bickel, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Well, nothing cures a team’s woes more than playing Colorado.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Winning with some self-awareness cures even more.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Schaunaman said the area should be back to normal once the gas company fixes the line and secures the line.
    Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Imagine hotels doing the same—where the building senses friction, predicts needs and quietly fixes problems before a guest ever notices.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • BlackRock's iShares research notes that bonds reemerged in their traditional ballast role in 2025, which partially rehabilitates the 60/40 framework after its 2022 stress.
    Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The center rescues and rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife with the goal of maintaining minimal human contact and releasing animals back to the wild after care.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 12 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mends. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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