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 post-apocalyptic scenario adds some flavor, as does the narrative of generations of women mending what’s been shattered between them. 45. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 July 2025 Next steps entail building and mending gates and fences on 11 properties, porches and decks on 10 properties and repair work and weatherization for four more homes. Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025 Both of these moves, analysts told the Free Press, reflect a newfound focus on mending Stellantis' position in the American market. Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 3 July 2025 However, Madonna might have mended her ways in the intervening years, having famously enacted a cellphone ban during her 2019 Madame X Tour. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mend
Verb
  • By early 1922, the bridge was repaired and fully covered, with a walkway added in the 1940s.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
  • The relationship Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill has with his teammates isn’t one that will be repaired overnight — or even over an offseason.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Leaders often move on to operational recovery while teams are still recovering emotionally.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • If it’s being called a fumble, S Dante Trader recovered it.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Hall, though, scratched the Pre Classic, and whatever prevented him from racing there does not appear sufficiently healed.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 31 July 2025
  • In general, when wounds don’t heal properly, the risk of infection increases.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • Even when time is added to compensate, attention doesn’t recover fully.
    Jack Zenger, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
  • Would land swaps compensate for territory deemed essential by Israel for security?
    Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2025
Verb
  • The ban aims to improve academic achievement, reduce cyberbullying, and minimize classroom disruptions.
    Ruby Grisin, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
  • The company reports that one client achieved 15–25% savings on total drug spend by applying insights surfaced through their analytics engine — improving formulary alignment, optimizing channel routing, and managing drug mix more actively, all without switching PBMs or disrupting member care.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • If Congress does not make the necessary changes to pay benefits using the current formula, the insolvency will be cured by paying current benefits in the amount of income coming into the trust fund.
    Thomas Hager, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
  • Coach Prime announced Monday that he had been cured of bladder cancer after a years-long battle with the disease.
    Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • The reality is, though, that no one player or one roster move is going to fix this stretch.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 26 July 2025
  • Raising $2 million, members hired an architect, replaced the roof, restored rooms, and fixed the electricity and plumbing over the course of four years.
    Damenica Ellis July 25, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The funding the committee advanced on Tuesday would help rehabilitate the building, including fixing the plumbing while increasing the number of beds and adding 24/7 medical staffing.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025
  • Bondi and Burgum met with park police on the island and directed staff to collaborate on plans to rehabilitate and reopen Alcatraz, but didn’t make public remarks.
    Kate Talerico, Mercury News, 17 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mend. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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