remedy

American  

[rem-i-dee] / ˈrɛm ɪ di /

noun

plural

remedies

1. something that cures or relieves a disease or bodily disorder; a healing medicine, application, or treatment.

   Synonyms:

   medication, medicament, specific, restorative, cure

2. something that corrects or removes an evil of any kind.

   Synonyms:

   antidote, corrective

3. Law. legal redress; the legal means of enforcing a right or redressing a wrong.

4. Coining. a certain allowance at the mint for deviation from the standard weight and fineness of coins; tolerance.

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verb (used with object)

remedied, remedying

1. to cure, relieve, or heal.

   Antonyms:

   worsen

2. to restore to the natural or proper condition; put right.

   to remedy a matter.

   Synonyms:

   renew, redress, correct, repair

3. to counteract or remove.

   to remedy an evil.

remedy British  

/ rɪˈmiːdɪəbəl, ˈrɛmɪdɪ /

noun

1. any drug or agent that cures a disease or controls its symptoms

2. anything that serves to put a fault to rights, cure defects, improve conditions, etc

   a remedy for industrial disputes

3. the legally permitted variation from the standard weight or quality of coins; tolerance

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verb

1. to relieve or cure (a disease, illness, etc) by or as if by a remedy

2. to put to rights (a fault, error, etc); correct

Related Words

See cure.

Other Word Forms

• nonremedy
  noun
• remediable
  adjective
• remediably
  adverb
• remediless
  adjective
• unremedied
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of remedy

First recorded in 1175–1225; (for the noun) Middle English remedie, from Anglo-French, from Latin remedium, from re- re- + med(ērī) “to heal” ( cf. medical) + -ium -ium; (for the verb) late Middle English remedien, from Middle French remedier, from Latin remediāre, derivative of remedium

Explanation

A remedy is something that relieves or cures a problem or illness. Aloe vera is a common remedy for sunburn. If you're having trouble sleeping, the first remedy you might try is a hot bath and a cup of chamomile tea. If that doesn't help, you may resort to something stronger, like a sedative. If a streetlight shining in your window is part of the problem, you can remedy the situation with some room-darkening shades. But if it's your upstairs neighbors and their all-night partying that's keeping you awake, you may have to consider a legal remedy.

Example Sentences

According to NHSTA, all affected Waymo vehicles received an interim software update to mitigate the issue, but a full remedy for the recall is still under development.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Public health director Prof Matt Ashton is explaining why groups in Liverpool are trying to remedy the historical under-resourcing of women's healthcare.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

In a district struggling to get students into classrooms and remedy pandemic learning losses, this is an egregious use of time—and a broader window into adults’ priorities.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Carvana said it is working to remedy this through several efficiency initiatives, including artificial intelligence.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Aided by bucklers and their own agility, the Spanish got in between and underneath the Germans’ long pikes and were able to hurt them at their pleasure, without the Germans having any remedy.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

• antidote
• countermeasure
• cure-all
• drug
• fix
• medicine
• panacea
• pill
• quick fix
• redress
• relief
• therapy
• treatment