# amend

/əˈmɛnd/ (US) · /ɐmˈɛnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/amend
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to change a document or law

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to change the words of a law, a contract, or a formal document to improve it.

For teachers: to make formal alterations to a legal document, piece of legislation, or official report by adding, deleting, or rephrasing content.

- The committee voted to amend the club rules to allow new members to join earlier.
- The parliament moved to amend the constitution, ensuring that the new environmental protections were enshrined in the nation's highest law.

Usage: Commonly used with documents, laws, and formal statements as the direct object.

### 2. to improve behavior or a situation

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to change your behavior or a situation so that it is better.

For teachers: to improve or rectify one's conduct or a specific situation; often implies a moral or qualitative upgrade.

- He promised to amend his ways and work harder in the future.
- The CEO sought to amend the company's reputation by launching a series of transparent social responsibility initiatives.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this sense is less common than 'improve' or 'change' and carries a slightly old-fashioned, formal tone.

### 3. to make up for a mistake

noun · CEFR B2

something you do to show you are sorry for a mistake or for hurting someone.

For teachers: compensation or an act of righting a wrong; almost exclusively used in the plural form within the fixed idiom 'make amends'.

- She tried to make amends by inviting him to dinner after their argument.
- After years of silence, he returned to his hometown to make amends for the bridges he had burned in his youth.

Usage: Typically appears in the phrase 'make amends to [someone] for [something]'.

## Examples

- The committee voted to amend the club rules.
- The lawyers had to amend the contract several times before both parties were happy to sign it.
- While the original proposal was sound, the board felt it necessary to amend the environmental policy to reflect the latest government regulations regarding carbon emissions.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.