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Synonyms

mending

American  
[men-ding] / ˈmɛn dɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that mends.

  2. articles, especially clothes, to be mended.

    Grandmother always kept her mending in this wicker basket.


mending British  
/ ˈmɛndɪŋ /

noun

  1. something to be mended, esp clothes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mending

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at mend, -ing 1

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.

But the Mandelson mess makes mending what's been done that much harder.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Inviting us to sit down with a show about mental health professionals mending their spirits is group therapy on a massive scale in a time of diagnosable disorder.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

Hill’s turnaround moves since then have included mending relationships with retailers such as Foot Locker and specialty running stores after Nike’s fizzled attempt to focus more on its own e-commerce sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

Obsessed with mending his relationship with his daughters, Clooney's character drags his manager, played by Adam Sandler, and press agent, played by Laura Dern, on a trip to Europe.

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

He wanted her to admire him for mending the crack in the hull.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

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