Word
redress
Phoneticsre·dress, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɹidɹɛs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. money or help that you get to make up for a mistake or something unfair that happened to you. It is a way to fix a wrong situation.
n. remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance. Often refers to legal or financial restitution intended to restore equity after an injury or loss.
Examples
“The company offered financial redress to the affected customers.”
“Victims of the data breach are seeking legal redress through a class-action lawsuit against the tech firm.”
“The treaty included specific provisions for the redress of historical grievances, ensuring that displaced communities received both formal apologies and territorial restoration.”
Examples
simple
“The company offered financial redress to the affected customers.”
contextual
“Victims of the data breach are seeking legal redress through a class-action lawsuit against the tech firm.”
complex
“The treaty included specific provisions for the redress of historical grievances, ensuring that displaced communities received both formal apologies and territorial restoration.”
Usage
Often appears in the phrase 'seek redress' or 'redress of grievances'.
Pitfall
seek a redress
seek redress
In its most common sense of compensation or remedy, the word is uncountable and does not take an indefinite article.
Real-World Examples
“Several fans have voiced concerns about the blunt use of automated software and AI to identify their accounts and the lack of proper redress, highlighting the club's disregard for its most loyal supporters.” “While the club avoided a European ban, allowing them to compete in the Europa League this season, Uefa’s tone was one of a final warning: redress the financial imbalance or you’re out.” “Lucy Letby (“Britain’s Worst Child Killer”) has been the subject of at least two such films redressing the lost balance.” Etymology
From Middle English redressen, from Anglo-Norman radresser, redrescer, redrescier and Middle French redresser (“to stand (someone or something) up; to stand up again; to rebuild, to repair something damaged, to rectify, to restore; to obtain redress; to cure; (of hair) to stand on end; to revise a judgment”) (modern French redresser), from Old French redrecier (“to stand (someone or something) up; to stand up again”), from Old French re- (“again, once more”) (from Latin re-, from Proto-Italic wre (“again”); further etymology uncertain) + Old French drechier, drecier, dresser (“to dress; to stand up”) (from Vulgar Latin drēctiāre, a contracted form of *dīrēctiāre, from Latin dīrēctus (“straight”)). Compare Catalan redreçar, Spanish redreçar (obsolete), Italian redreçare, redrezare, redricciare, ridirizzare (all obsolete), ridrizzare, Late Latin redressare (“to repair; to set right”), Old Occitan redreisar, redresar.
From re- + dress.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/redress