Word
amends
US/əˈmɛndz/
UK/ɐmˈɛndz/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. something you do to fix a mistake or make up for hurting someone. You usually use it in the phrase 'make amends'.
n. an action taken to repair a wrong or injury; to compensate for a fault. Typically used in the fixed phrase 'make amends'.
Examples
“He sent flowers to make amends for his rude comment.”
“She offered to pay for the dinner to make amends for being late.”
“The company issued a public apology and donated to charity to make amends for the environmental damage caused by the spill.”
Examples
simple
“He sent flowers to make amends for his rude comment.”
contextual
“She offered to pay for the dinner to make amends for being late.”
complex
“The company issued a public apology and donated to charity to make amends for the environmental damage caused by the spill.”
Usage
Always used in the plural form 'amends' and typically follows the verb 'make'.
Pitfall
make an amend
make amends
The word is always plural in this idiom; 'amend' as a singular noun is rare and archaic.
Real-World Examples
“The deal amends and updates a 1951 defence agreement between Denmark and the US.” “For Kelsy, it was a great chance to strike early, but if he failed then he made amends later on.” Etymology
From French amendes, plural of amende. Compare with amende.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. make amends
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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