1
as in repairs
to put into good shape or working order again
that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in recovers
to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness
she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in heals
to restore to a healthy condition
mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again
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4
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
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5
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
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6
as in cures
to bring about recovery from
the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mends
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
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
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Sleep is when the body repairs itself and the mind takes a brief vacation.—
Helen Dennis,
Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
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One of the most expensive costs around Colorado is around housing, not just the cost of renting but also repairs.—
Mekialaya White,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Also headquartered at the warehouse is Expendables Upcycler, which recovers everything from unused gaffer’s tape to camera equipment and batteries.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
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Small said that even in cases where a person fully recovers from peripartum cardiomyopathy, future pregnancies are considered high-risk.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Quero’s struggles might force Venable to make a tough decision and give Romo more time behind the plate while Kyle Teel heals.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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This speaks to communication that may hurt but ultimately heals.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His payment of $74,330 will go into the Lacey Act Reward Fund, which compensates tipsters who report wildlife crimes, federal authorities said.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Concerns over potential Russian retaliation and legal challenges led them to keep the assets frozen until Moscow ends its war and compensates Ukraine for the destruction caused.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Harris gives Justin Herbert a quality threat and further improves the overall offense.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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The 14-page bill improves enforcement of no-contact orders, ups repeat violations of protection orders to felony offenses, and provides protection to witnesses and victims who report domestic violence crimes.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing cures a style rut quite like a little color blocking.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
3 Mar. 2026
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The movie, a result of Cook’s wild imagination and British legends, is a horror fantasy drama set in 1893 about Betty Lutey (Beatie Edney), while barred from studying medicine, cures someone with Tuberculosis with a mermaid’a cursed pearl comb.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When a vulnerability is discovered, a software update is usually what fixes it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Who fixes Charlotte’s infrastructure?—
Desiree Mathurin
April 23,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Berman rehabilitates rabbits that are abandoned, neglected, abused, and in danger of being euthanized.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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The charitable series, formerly starring LeAnne Rimes and Luke Grimes, ensures 15-percent of ticket proceeds go to the Saving Grace Equine Healing Foundation that rescues and rehabilitates horses.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mends. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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