Synonyms of redress

redress 1 of 2

noun

ri-ˈdres 

as in reparation

payment to another for a loss or injury

the new skis were certainly an adequate redress for the lost snowboard

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reparation
• compensation
• damages
• restitution
• indemnity
• recompense
• indemnification
• reprisal(s)
• recoupment
• punishment
• satisfaction
• remuneration
• reimbursement
• quittance
• settlement
• adjustment
• repayment
• refund
• retaliation
• expiation
• atonement
• punitive damages
• amends
• requital
• solatium

redress

2 of 2

verb

ri-ˈdres 

as in to avenge

to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for

the belief that redressing a murder with another murder, even if carried out by the state, is not morally justified

Synonyms & Similar Words

• avenge
• revenge
• retaliate
• punish
• requite
• get even (for)
• venge
• penalize
• compensate
• correct
• right
• repay
• fix
• discipline
• castigate
• chastise
• scourge
• pay (back)
• recompense
• get
• chasten

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forgive
• excuse
• remit
• pardon
• absolve
• condone

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb redress differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of redress are amend, correct, emend, rectify, reform, remedy, and revise. While all these words mean "to make right what is wrong," redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance.

redress past social injustices

How is amend related to other words for redress?

Amend, reform, and revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes.

amend a law

When might correct be a better fit than redress?

The synonyms correct and redress are sometimes interchangeable, but correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects.

correct your spelling

Where would emend be a reasonable alternative to redress?

Although the words emend and redress have much in common, emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript.

emend a text

When is rectify a more appropriate choice than redress?

The words rectify and redress can be used in similar contexts, but rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed.

rectify a misguided policy

In what contexts can reform take the place of redress?

While the synonyms reform and redress are close in meaning, reform implies drastic change.

plans to reform the court system

When can remedy be used instead of redress?

The words remedy and redress are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil.

set out to remedy the evils of the world

When could revise be used to replace redress?

In some situations, the words revise and redress are roughly equivalent. However, revise suggests a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes.

revise the schedule

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of redress

Noun

And Congress cannot pass any laws that abridge the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances. —Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026

Jung, a close ally of Lee, said the government is willing to expand legal redress and speed compensation for victims of government abuses whose cases have been verified by the truth commission. —ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026

Verb

The village’s Black residents, including Hettie, are energized by a promising but tangled effort to redress a long-standing injustice—the unequal compensation received by Black South African soldiers in the Second World War. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

South Africa last year said the US had applied pressure on Pretoria to end laws aimed at redressing wealth imbalances caused by apartheid, and Washington later slapped a 30% tariff on many South African exports — the highest on the continent. —semafor.com, 6 Mar. 2026