Mending — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective /ˈmend/ (verb) /ˈfen(t)s-ˌmen-diŋ/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Mending

Mending (verb)

  1. to free from faults or defects
  2. to improve in manners or morals, reform
  3. to set right, correct

Mending (noun)

  1. the rehabilitating of a deteriorated political relationship

Mending (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the process or period of gradually regaining one's health and strength

    "it was a long slow mending of his injuries from the car crash, but he's fine now"

    similar: comeback, convalescence, healing, rally, recovery, recuperation, rehab, rehabilitation, snapback
    related: resuscitation, revival, survival
    near: decline, degeneration, deterioration, fading, failing, languishing, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering, worsening, regression, relapse

Mending (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in recuperating, better

    similar: better, convalescing, improved, recovering, recuperating, rehabilitated, cured, hardy, hearty, lusty, robust, rugged, stalwart, strong, tough, able-bodied, conditioned, fit, well-conditioned, blooming, bouncing, chipper, flourishing, flush, thriving, hale, healthful, healthy, sound, well, whole, wholesome
    opposite: ailing, bad, down, ill, indisposed, peaked, peaky, poorly, punk, run-down, sick, sickened, unhealthy, unsound, unwell, symptomatic, cruddy, lousy, seedy, sickish

Mending (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to put into good shape or working order again

    "that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it"

    similar: doctoring, fixing, patching, reconditioning, renovating, repairing, revamping
    related: fixing up, furbishing, overhauling, rebuilding, reconstructing, refurbishing, aiding, curing, healing, helping, conditioning, preparing, readying, caring (for), maintaining, servicing, freshening, refreshening, refreshing, regenerating, rejuvenating, renewing, restoring, revitalizing, reviving, adjusting, correcting, modifying, rectifying, redressing, reforming, righting, ameliorating, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating
    near: blemishing, breaking, damaging, defacing, disfiguring, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, injuring, marring, ruining, spoiling, vandalizing, wrecking, crippling, disabling, maiming, mangling, mutilating

  2. to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness

    "she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu"

    similar: coming back, convalescing, gaining, healing, pulling round (chiefly British), rallying, recouping, recovering, recuperating, snapping back
    related: coming around, coming round, coming to, improving, picking up, reviving, cheering (up), perking (up), pulling through, surviving, recruiting
    near: ailing, collapsing, coming down, sickening, declining, degenerating, deteriorating, fading, failing, languishing, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering, worsening, regressing, relapsing

  3. to restore to a healthy condition

    "mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again"

    similar: curing, fixing, healing, rehabbing, rehabilitating, setting up
    related: attending (to), caring (for), doctoring, medicating, ministering (to), nursing, physicking, treating, fortifying, rejuvenating, renewing, resuscitating, revitalizing, reviving, alleviating, relieving, remedying, repairing
    near: crippling, damaging, disabling, harming, hurting, impairing, injuring, lacerating, laming, maiming, mangling, mutilating, wounding, afflicting, ailing, debilitating, enervating, enfeebling, laying up, sapping, sickening, wasting, weakening

  4. 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"

    similar: atoning (for), expiating, redeeming, making amends for, making good for
    related: compensating, recompensing, reimbursing, remunerating, repaying, amending, correcting, rectifying, redressing, propitiating

  5. 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"

    similar: amending, reforming, shaping up, straightening (up or out), cleaning up one's act
    related: behaving, regenerating, bettering, improving
    near: backsliding, regressing

  6. to bring about recovery from

    "the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart"

    similar: curing, healing, remedying
    related: allaying, alleviating, assuaging, relieving, palliating, salving, soothing, easing, lightening, moderating, tempering, doctoring, nursing, medicating, treating, diagnosing
    near: aggravating, worsening, misdiagnosing, overdiagnosing, underdiagnosing

Related Entry: Mend (verb)

Mend is a different word from Mending. The synonyms below are for mend, not for mending.

  1. to put into good shape or working order again

    "that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it"

    similar: doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp
    related: fix up, furbish, overhaul, rebuild, reconstruct, refurbish, aid, cure, heal, help, condition, prepare, ready, care (for), maintain, service, freshen, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive, adjust, correct, modify, rectify, redress, reform, right, ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate
    near: blemish, break, damage, deface, disfigure, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, ruin, spoil, vandalize, wreck, cripple, disable, maim, mangle, mutilate

  2. to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness

    "she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu"

    similar: come back, convalesce, gain, heal, pull round (chiefly British), rally, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back
    related: come around, come round, come to, improve, pick up, revive, cheer (up), perk (up), pull through, survive, recruit
    near: ail, collapse, come down, sicken, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen, regress, relapse

  3. to restore to a healthy condition

    "mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again"

    similar: cure, fix, heal, rehab, rehabilitate, set up
    related: attend (to), care (for), doctor, medicate, minister (to), nurse, physic, treat, fortify, rejuvenate, renew, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, alleviate, relieve, remedy, repair
    near: cripple, damage, disable, harm, hurt, impair, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, wound, afflict, ail, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, lay up, sap, sicken, waste, weaken

  4. 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"

    similar: atone (for), expiate, redeem, make amends for, make good for
    related: compensate, recompense, reimburse, remunerate, repay, amend, correct, rectify, redress, propitiate

  5. 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"

    similar: amend, reform, shape up, straighten (up or out), clean up one's act
    related: behave, regenerate, better, improve
    near: backslide, regress

  6. to bring about recovery from

    "the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart"

    similar: cure, heal, remedy
    related: allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve, palliate, salve, soothe, ease, lighten, moderate, temper, doctor, nurse, medicate, treat, diagnose
    near: aggravate, worsen, misdiagnose, overdiagnose, underdiagnose

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Mending

The most common words with a similar meaning to Mending:

Chiefly British: pulling round
comeback, convalescence, healing, rally, recovery, recuperation, rehab, rehabilitation, snapback, better, convalescing, improved, recovering, recuperating, rehabilitated, cured, hardy, hearty, lusty, robust, rugged, stalwart, strong, tough, able-bodied, conditioned, fit, well-conditioned, blooming, bouncing, chipper, flourishing, flush, thriving, hale, healthful, healthy, sound, well, whole

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Mending

Words with the opposite meaning of Mending:

ailing, bad, down, ill, indisposed, peaked, peaky, poorly, punk, run-down, sick, sickened, unhealthy, unsound, unwell, symptomatic, cruddy, lousy, seedy, sickish

Related Words for Mending

resuscitation, revival, survival, fixing up, furbishing, overhauling, rebuilding, reconstructing, refurbishing, aiding, helping, conditioning, preparing, readying, caring (for), maintaining, servicing, freshening, refreshening, refreshing, regenerating, rejuvenating, renewing, restoring, revitalizing, reviving, adjusting, correcting, modifying, rectifying

Near Antonyms of Mending

decline, degeneration, deterioration, fading, failing, languishing, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering, worsening, regression, relapse, blemishing, breaking, damaging, defacing, disfiguring, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, injuring, marring, ruining, spoiling, vandalizing, wrecking, crippling

Word Forms of Mending

Inflections: mended, mends

Derived words: mendable (adjective), mender (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Mending

Middle English, short for amenden amend

First known use: 13th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Mending

fence-mending

Frequently Asked Questions about Mending

What does "Mending" mean?

"Mending" means to free from faults or defects. As an a verb, a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: to free from faults or defects. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Mending"?

Other words for "Mending" include comeback, convalescence, healing, rally, recovery, recuperation, rehab and rehabilitation. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Mending" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Mending"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Mending". Common alternatives include comeback, convalescence, healing, rally, recovery, recuperation, rehab, rehabilitation, snapback and better.

What is the opposite of "Mending"?

Antonyms of "Mending" include ailing, bad, down, ill, indisposed, peaked, peaky and poorly. Near antonyms include decline, degeneration, deterioration and fading.

How do you use "Mending" in a sentence?

Examples of "Mending" in a sentence: "it was a long slow mending of his injuries from the car crash, but he's fine now"; "that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it"; "she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu".

Is "Mending" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Mending" can be used as a verb, a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Mending"?

"Mending" is pronounced /ˈmend/ as a verb and /ˈfen(t)s-ˌmen-diŋ/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Mending"?

"Mending" comes from Middle English, short for amenden amend. First known use: 13th centuryt.