redress
Americannoun
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the setting right of what is wrong.
redress of abuses.
- Synonyms:
- atonement, remedy, restoration
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relief from wrong or injury.
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compensation or satisfaction for a wrong or injury.
verb (used with object)
-
redresses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
redressed,
past participle, past
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redressing
present participle
verb
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to put right (a wrong), esp by compensation; make reparation for
to redress a grievance
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to correct or adjust (esp in the phrase redress the balance )
-
to make compensation to (a person) for a wrong
noun
-
the act or an instance of setting right a wrong; remedy or cure
to seek redress of grievances
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compensation, amends, or reparation for a wrong, injury, etc
-
relief from poverty or want
Synonym Usage
Redress, reparation, restitution suggest making amends or giving indemnification for a wrong. Redress may refer either to the act of setting right an unjust situation (as by some power), or to satisfaction sought or gained for a wrong suffered: the redress of grievances. Reparation means compensation or satisfaction for a wrong or loss inflicted. The word may have the moral idea of amends: to make reparation for one's neglect; but more frequently it refers to financial compensation (which is asked for, rather than given): the reparations demanded of the aggressor nations. Restitution means literally the restoration of what has been taken from the lawful owner: He demanded restitution of his land; it may also refer to restoring the equivalent of what has been taken: They made him restitution for his land.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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redresssimple
-
redressessimple
-
have redressedperfect
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has redressedperfect
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am redressingprogressive
-
are redressingprogressive
-
is redressingprogressive
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have been redressingperfect progressive
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has been redressingperfect progressive
Past
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redressedsimple
-
had redressedperfect
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was redressingprogressive
-
were redressingprogressive
-
had been redressingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of redress
First recorded in 1275–1325; (verb) Middle English redressen, from Middle French redresser, Old French redrecier, equivalent to re- re- + drecier “to straighten” ( see dress); (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French redresse, redresce, derivative of the verb
Explanation
The verb redress is used when you are supposed to fix a problem and make amends. You want your parents to redress the fact that you don't have a pet. Your parents offer to get a hamster, but instead, you say you want a monkey. Redress can be used as both a noun and a verb. In the noun form, it is the compensation for setting something right. As a verb it means to correct, right a wrong, or make restitution for something. The union organizers wanted the company to redress the fact that workers weren't getting lunch breaks.
Vocabulary lists containing redress
The Declaration of Independence
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The Bill of Rights
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Monster
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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.
See Examples For:
A Swedish truth commission on Wednesday urged the state to apologise for injustices committed against its indigenous Sami people, including assimilation programmes, and provide compensation and redress.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
She said there had to be "tough questions about resilience of Nats systems", adding: "We also need to think about consumer redress issues."
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
An individual emotional response to a government policy or action isn’t an injury courts can redress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
In May in answer to an Assembly question on the matter , externalNorthern Ireland's Department of Health said it was "regrettable" that a UK government decision on redress has still not been taken.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
It was Carl’s heart that was now in question, whether he wanted to redress a wrong his own mother had perpetrated.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
“Across the Ages,” the first truly comprehensive Celtic art survey in the U.S., redresses that long-standing prejudice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
The first episode ends with a shot of a “Make America Gay Again” hat, which Grace has left on a chair in the Oval Office, as if that sufficiently redresses her self-absorption.
From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2017
Her curator Ian Alteveer, for one, is focused on the art of Kerry James Marshall, a prominent figurative painter from Birmingham, Ala., whose work redresses the absence of black subjects in Western art.
From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2015
Still, Stehlin redresses many of the play's shortcomings in this production, which may lack a certain bite, but which still nibbles the funny bone -- and takes an occasional nip at the heartstrings as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2015
Having become the master, he redresses wrongs, and especially those of which he thinks himself the object.
From The French Revolution - Volume 1 by John Durand
While this puts constraints on the ability of states to regulate corporations, power imbalances between business and society can be redressed when people withdraw the support on which corporate entities depend.
From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2024
Rogue Machine has taken strides to diversify its programming, but a persistent gender gap in playwriting signals a problem that will have to be redressed by Cienfuegos and his team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2024
In 2005, the historical situation was redressed, when South Korea paid direct compensation to tens of thousands of wartime laborers.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 15, 2023
Third, their injury would not be redressed by a court ruling in their favor.
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2022
Westley asked question after question while the albino tended and redressed his wound, then fed him food that was warm and surprisingly good and plentiful.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
These are aimed at redressing historic racial inequality.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
That dragged total exports down by a total 7.3% on year, with other markets redressing some of the American drag.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
“There is a trend towards redressing wrongs, telling untold stories, exposing truths, revealing hypocrisies,” she said.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
The referendum was framed as a first step toward redressing major historical wrongs.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2024
She points to her wound, which is oozy, and clearly needs redressing.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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