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
In a striking parallel a la bringing things back together again, the Duke of Sussex makes a surprise cameo in the film as father and son work to mend their fractured relationship.
—
Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Nearly a century later, in 1977, Jimmy Carter helped mend the divisions plaguing the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War by pardoning those who had dodged the draft.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But eventually the fences were mended, partly because Fedorov expressed some regret at deciding to leave.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Compensation will be offered, fences will be mended, and long-standing partnerships will inevitably endure.
—Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mend
Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Nearly a century later, in 1977, Jimmy Carter helped mend the divisions plaguing the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War by pardoning those who had dodged the draft.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But eventually the fences were mended, partly because Fedorov expressed some regret at deciding to leave.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Compensation will be offered, fences will be mended, and long-standing partnerships will inevitably endure.
—Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
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Property managers of a Corryville condominium complex never got a permit to repair a balcony that collapsed three years later.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
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From covering payroll during seasonal slowdowns to purchasing inventory, repairing equipment, or managing cash-flow gaps, access to flexible financing allows entrepreneurs to grow and adapt in an ever-changing marketplace.—
Julio Fuentes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After 35 rounds of radiation and painful robotic surgery on his tongue, Coulier can finally begin to recover from his cancer battle.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lighter damage often heals easily on its own, but deeper burns destroy both surface and deeper tissues.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
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Thank you for being a safe and healing space when it was needed.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lawyers, at times, were not compensated at all for this work.—
Raynee Howell,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Feb. 2026
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Artists are compensated in other ways, though.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Maye’s numbers improved somewhat in the second half but not nearly enough to prevent the Seahawks from claiming a 29-13 victory.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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However, the ability to choose an educational environment that truly fits our child has not only improved their academic performance, but also their overall happiness and outlook on life.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.—
Gilberto Lopes,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
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Billboards around San Francisco advertise a product that conducts audits before your AI girlfriend breaks up with you; founders are earnest about curing death.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Turning to domestic chipmakers for less advanced semiconductors also doesn’t fix the problem for these AI model developers.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Crews spent about two years repairing it — replacing brick in the Cenotaph’s interior frame, fixing a drainage system, putting marble exterior stones that had shifted back in place and cleaning stones and carvings.—
Madison Iszler,
San Antonio Express-News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The tunnel project, the nation's largest infrastructure project, would expand train service between New York and New Jersey along the nation’s busiest rail corridor by adding a new rail tunnel and rehabilitating the existing 115-year-old pair of tunnels under the Hudson River.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
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Now, the zombies are being rehabilitated and reintroduced into the general public, including teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry), who isn't exactly welcomed home with open arms.—
Sammi Burke,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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