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

As a constitutional amendment, Okuniewicz’s bill will need approval by two-thirds of the House and Senate, as well as approval by voters. —Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 7 Feb. 2025

The filing also details various financial agreements, including amendments to revolving credit facilities and related party loans. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2025

The amendment failed by 226 to 182, with 24 Democrats siding with Republicans. —Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Feb. 2025

However, as a consequence of the company’s interest downtown, the council is seeking a code amendment to stop similar proposals from being submitted. —Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 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