The question of whether to use amend or emend is a vexing one for many people, complicated by the fact that the words sound quite similar and have meanings that overlap to a considerable degree. Both words can be used with the meanings “to improve” or “to correct,” but there are subtle differences. Emend is most often used in connection with changes to some form of written material, such as a text or manuscript; while such documents may also be described as amended, amend can apply to improvements or corrections made to things other than writing, as in “he amended his behavior.” The confusion is compounded by the fact that one of the most frequently encountered uses of amend is in reference to a document: the Constitution of the United States.
correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects.
correct your spellingrectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed.
rectify a misguided policyemend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript.
emend a textremedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil.
set out to remedy the evils of the worldredress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance.
redress past social injusticesamend, reform, revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes
amend a law, reform implying drastic change
plans to reform the court system, and revise suggesting a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes.
revise the scheduleQuotes--> Extra Examples--> The country's constitution was amended to allow women to vote. They voted to amend the law in 1920. He tried to amend the situation by apologizing to me.
Recent Examples on the Web The law, however, was later amended to delete such sales. — Joan Oleck, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 At the center of the battle is the billionaire patriarch’s stunning decision to petition a court late last year to amend the family trust that would have given equal voting shares upon his death to Murdoch’s eldest four children — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. — Hadas Gold, CNN, 12 Sep. 2024 Zoom in: Patriarch Rupert Murdoch seeks to amend his family's trust to ensure his son Lachlan Murdoch will control the family's media and business empire. — Michael Flaherty, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024 The plan would have repealed the individual mandate and the employer mandate, amended Medicaid eligibility and weakened protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for amend
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Middle English, from Anglo-French amender, modification of Latin emendare, from e, ex out + menda fault; akin to Latin mendax lying, mendicus beggar, and perhaps to Sanskrit mindā physical defect
First Known Use13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1