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
  • Courtesy of Fleet Feet Like any muscle, a healthy heart suffers damage and repairs itself each time it is stressed.
    Matt Moret, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a rare congenital heart condition where the heart repairs damage with tissue that doesn't properly conduct electricity in the right ventricle.
    Errol Barnett, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The virus also causes a rare but fatal neurological condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), which typically strikes years after a child seemingly recovers from the infection.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Anudike-Uzomah has been getting plenty of looks with the starters in the preseason as Ashton Gillotte recovers from an injury, and the sack helps his cause.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Even if Hubbard heals in time for Carolina’s opener against the Chicago Bears, the former Longhorn should tally notable numbers from the jump.
    Brad Evans, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • That's because the remaining healthy testicle often compensates by producing enough testosterone and sperm on its own.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 22 July 2026
  • The more useful question is what the current price assumes, what could change those assumptions, and whether the likely return compensates investors for the risks.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • This creates a thin thermal boundary layer and improves heat transfer at the point of impact.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Shorter grass improves seed-to-soil contact and lets more sunlight reach the soil surface for better seed germination.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 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
  • Stop thinking of customer service as the department that fixes problems.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • By testing pellet presses, pin welders, and automated inspection tools without live radiation, the team fixes mechanical issues before the equipment enters commercial service.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 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 31 Aug. 2026.

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