Word
amend
Phoneticsamend
US/əˈmɛnd/
UK/ɐmˈɛnd/
Definitions
01to change a document or law
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law Formal
v. to change the words of a law, a contract, or a formal document to improve it.
v. to make formal alterations to a legal document, piece of legislation, or official report by adding, deleting, or rephrasing content.
日本語:修正する※
“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.”
02to improve behavior or a situation
C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary
v. to change your behavior or a situation so that it is better.
v. to improve or rectify one's conduct or a specific situation; often implies a moral or qualitative upgrade.
日本語:正す※
“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.”
03to make up for a mistake
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun
n. something you do to show you are sorry for a mistake or for hurting someone.
n. 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.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “amend” in context.
Verb
01. amend the constitution
“The government proposed a referendum to amend the constitution regarding voting rights.”
verb + noun
02. amend the legislation
“Lawmakers met late into the night to amend the legislation before the final vote.”
verb + noun
03. seek to amend
“The defense attorney will seek to amend the witness statement to include new evidence.”
verb + infinitive
04. vote to amend
“The committee members will vote to amend the bylaws during the next annual meeting.”
verb + infinitive
Noun
05. power to amend
“The executive branch does not have the unilateral power to amend federal statutes.”
noun + infinitive
06. proposal to amend
“The proposal to amend the city charter was met with significant public opposition.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
07. formally amend
“The board of directors must formally amend the contract to reflect the new terms.”
adv + verb
08. subsequently amend
“The initial draft was subsequently amended after feedback from the legal department.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as a law, document, or statement.
Pitfall
I need to amend my broken phone
I need to repair my broken phone
Amend is used for improving documents or laws, not for fixing physical objects.
Real-World Examples
“The BBC understands Penguin, the publishers of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, will be amending this one point in future editions of the book.” “Pushed by far-left Sumar, another proposed bill is an organic law to amend the Criminal Code and remove from it various offences that restrict freedom of expression.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/amend
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0