ENGLISH
REFERENCE

patch things up

idiom
B2 Informal
Meaning

To repair a relationship after an argument — to make peace again. Usually used about friends, family, or couples. "After weeks of silence, they finally patched things up."


Examples
SIMPLE

The two friends patched things up after their fight.

CONTEXTUAL

My brother and I hadn't spoken in months, but we patched things up over dinner last weekend.

COMPLEX

The negotiators spent all night trying to patch things up between two departments whose quiet rivalry had stalled the project for a year.

Last updated July 27, 2026