amendment
Americannoun
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an alteration of or addition to a motion, bill, constitution, etc.
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a change made by correction, addition, or deletion.
The editors made few amendments to the manuscript.
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Horticulture. a soil-conditioning substance that promotes plant growth indirectly by improving such soil qualities as porosity, moisture retention, and pH balance.
noun
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the act of amending; correction
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an addition, alteration, or improvement to a motion, document, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amendment
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English word from Old French word amendement. See amend, -ment
Explanation
An amendment is a change made to an original, usually a document or statement. You might propose an amendment to your environmental club's bylaws requiring that all official club documents be printed on recycled paper. Can you spot the word amend, meaning "to make better" or "to cure of faults and errors," hidden in amendment? If so, you'll grasp the notion that an amendment is something intended to improve whatever preceded it. It pops up most often in formal legal contexts, where it refers to a written change to a bill, law, contract, or the U.S. Constitution.
Vocabulary lists containing amendment
U.S. Government Lingo
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American History I
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13th Amendment (1865)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More specifically, they claimed that the Virginia Constitution prevents amendments unless there is an intervening election in between the first time a proposed amendment is introduced and passed in the Legislature and the second time.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
Lawmakers approved the amendment again in January before passing a separate bill in February laying out the new congressional districts, contingent on voter approval.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
Any amendment to the constitution must be approved by referendum called by the president, unless a bill is approved by a three-fifths majority in parliament.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
If passed by the Legislature and voters, the amendment would would require the regents to appoint two undergraduate and two graduate students to two-year terms beginning July 1, 2027.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Governor Roberts spoke in favor of the amendment.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
