Synonyms of mending

mending 1 of 3

noun

as in rehabilitation

the process or period of gradually regaining one's health and strength

it was a long slow mending of his injuries from the car crash, but he's fine now

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rehabilitation
• recovery
• healing
• rehab
• convalescence
• recuperation
• comeback
• revival
• resuscitation
• survival
• snapback
• rally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• failing
• deterioration
• weakening
• sinking
• decline
• worsening
• degeneration
• fading
• regression
• languishing
• wilting
• withering
• wasting (away)
• relapse

mending

2 of 3

adjective

as in recovering

Related Words

• recovering
• better
• improved
• recuperating
• cured
• convalescing
• rehabilitated
• hardy
• stalwart
• robust
• hearty
• lusty
• tough
• able-bodied
• bouncing
• healthful
• flourishing
• well
• fit
• whole
• strong
• conditioned
• wholesome
• blooming
• thriving
• chipper
• rugged
• healthy
• sound
• hale
• well-conditioned
• flush

Dissimilar Words

• ill
• ailing
• sick
• poorly
• down
• bad
• unsound
• unhealthy
• indisposed
• unwell
• punk
• peaked
• symptomatic
• sickened
• peaky
• run-down
• lousy
• seedy
• sickish
• cruddy

mending

3 of 3

verb

present participle of mend

1

as in repairing

to put into good shape or working order again

that shirt will be as good as new when I'm finished mending it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• repairing
• fixing
• rebuilding
• reconstructing
• patching
• overhauling
• restoring
• renovating
• reconditioning
• revamping
• adjusting
• doctoring
• renewing
• modifying
• improving
• maintaining
• helping
• preparing
• healing
• refurbishing
• curing
• aiding
• regenerating
• servicing
• refreshing
• reviving
• conditioning
• furbishing
• fixing up
• rectifying
• readying
• righting
• redressing
• reforming
• revitalizing
• correcting
• rejuvenating
• freshening
• enhancing
• ameliorating
• bettering
• enriching
• caring (for)
• refreshening
• meliorating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• breaking
• hurting
• wrecking
• damaging
• injuring
• ruining
• impairing
• harming
• spoiling
• disfiguring
• defacing
• marring
• disabling
• crippling
• vandalizing
• mutilating
• blemishing
• flawing
• maiming
• mangling

2

as in healing

to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness

she's mending after a particularly nasty bout of the flu

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recovering
• healing
• improving
• recuperating
• convalescing
• recouping
• coming back
• rallying
• gaining
• reviving
• pulling round
• snapping back
• surviving
• coming to
• coming around
• coming round
• cheering (up)
• recruiting
• picking up
• perking (up)
• pulling through

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ailing
• coming down
• collapsing
• failing
• deteriorating
• weakening
• declining
• worsening
• sinking
• fading
• wasting (away)
• languishing
• degenerating
• sickening
• withering
• relapsing
• wilting
• regressing

3

as in rehabilitating

to restore to a healthy condition

mended the broken plant so that it was soon thriving again

Synonyms & Similar Words

• healing
• rehabilitating
• fixing
• curing
• repairing
• treating
• reviving
• relieving
• rehabbing
• setting up
• alleviating
• attending (to)
• renewing
• ministering (to)
• revitalizing
• rejuvenating
• nursing
• fortifying
• remedying
• doctoring
• medicating
• caring (for)
• physicking
• resuscitating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurting
• damaging
• injuring
• disabling
• impairing
• crippling
• wounding
• harming
• mutilating
• ailing
• weakening
• wasting
• maiming
• lacerating
• mangling
• laming
• afflicting
• debilitating
• sapping
• enervating
• laying up
• sickening
• enfeebling

4

as in compensating

to make up for (an offense)

the proverb "least said, soonest mended" should be heeded by anyone tempted to angrily blurt out things they really don't mean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• compensating
• repaying
• redeeming
• correcting
• expiating
• amending
• making amends for
• atoning (for)
• rectifying
• making good for
• reimbursing
• redressing
• remunerating
• recompensing
• propitiating

5

as in improving

to change one's behavior or character for the better

everyone's written her off as a liar and a thief, but I say it's never too late to mend

Synonyms & Similar Words

• improving
• amending
• behaving
• reforming
• shaping up
• regenerating
• straightening (up or out)
• cleaning up one's act
• bettering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• regressing
• backsliding

6

as in curing

to bring about recovery from

the old adage that only time can mend a broken heart

Synonyms & Similar Words

• healing
• curing
• alleviating
• remedying
• relieving
• soothing
• easing
• treating
• allaying
• lightening
• salving
• tempering
• moderating
• diagnosing
• assuaging
• palliating
• doctoring
• nursing
• medicating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• worsening
• aggravating
• misdiagnosing
• overdiagnosing
• underdiagnosing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of mending

Noun

If a piece is salvageable and needs some mending or a powerful stain remover, set it aside and make a plan to attend to it. —Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Apr. 2026

While the company’s humble beginnings began as a simple mending solution, Vivolo believes the future of trims will be about integration between craftsmanship and technology. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026

Family ties may need some mending, and once they’ve been handled, those bonds could be immensely helpful. —Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026

Visitors can try their hand at skills such as block printing, moss wall art, and Japanese sashiko mending. —Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2026

Sometimes our brains need something completely different to concentrate on while our hearts do their mending. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025

Their relationship definitely needs mending. —Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Verb

Meyers said Thursday that mending the relationship between the school and households will be important, but that there is only so much that can be done. —Samuel O’Neal April 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026

Feeding the needy and mending cultural divides over the course of 24 hours is a tall order. —Monique John, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

Many of you will agree, and that will go a long way in mending the rift in this country. —Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026

Fiery Mars leaps into a supportive sextile to healing Chiron, encouraging us to make the first move in mending strained bonds of any type. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026

Hanceville’s new mayor was tasked with mending that alliance. —Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026

After settling in Minnesota, Chin worked as a seamstress, mending clothing and making wedding dresses. —Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026

This New Moon is perfect for mending such inner tears, with its Capricorn durability steeling your 12th House of Finishes. —Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2026

Saturday should go a long way toward mending that relationship. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026