amendment

noun

amend·​ment ə-ˈmen(d)-mənt 

1

a

: the process of altering or amending a law or document (such as a constitution) by parliamentary or constitutional procedure

rights that were granted by amendment of the Constitution

b

: an alteration proposed or effected by this process

a constitutional amendment

2

: the act of amending something : correction

3

: a material (such as compost or sand) that aids plant growth indirectly by improving the condition of the soil

soil amendments

Did you know?

What is a constitutional amendment?

An amendment is essentially a correction. It comes in many varieties, up to and including the process of altering something through either parliamentary or constitutional procedure. In the United States, the word is often used specifically of a change to the U.S. Constitution. A constitutional amendment may be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or through a constitutional convention with majority votes in two-thirds of state legislatures. Once it is ratified by Congress, it must be approved by three-fourths (i.e., 38 of 50) of the states.

Synonyms

• correction
• emendation

Examples of amendment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Florida's constitution currently requires voter approval for gambling expansion through these amendments. —Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025

The filing also details various financial agreements, including an amendment to the senior unsecured revolving credit facility to increase its capacity and extend its maturity date. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 23 Jan. 2025

That amendment would allow some people to more easily access the temporary repatriation facility (TPF), which lets non-doms bring in previously earned foreign income and gains at a reduced tax rate. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2025

But first, some history The 14th Amendment is known as a Reconstruction amendment, because it was added to the Constitution after the Civil War in 1868. —Aj Willingham, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see amend

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

amendment

noun

amend·​ment ə-ˈmen(d)-mənt 

1

: the act or process of amending especially for the better

2

: a change in wording or meaning especially in a law, bill, or motion

Legal Definition

amendment

noun

amend·​ment

1

: an act of amending

especially : an alteration in wording

amendments to cure the defect in the pleading

2

: an alteration proposed or put into effect by parliamentary or constitutional procedure

the Congress…shall propose amendments to this Constitution

—U.S. Constitution art. V