Did you know?
Amend vs. Emend
The question of whether to use amend or emend is a vexing one for many people, complicated by the fact that the words sound quite similar and have meanings that overlap to a considerable degree. Both words can be used with the meanings “to improve” or “to correct,” but there are subtle differences. Emend is most often used in connection with changes to some form of written material, such as a text or manuscript; while such documents may also be described as amended, amend can apply to improvements or corrections made to things other than writing, as in “he amended his behavior.” The confusion is compounded by the fact that one of the most frequently encountered uses of amend is in reference to a document: the Constitution of the United States.
Synonyms
Examples of amend in a Sentence
Tamara Keith, NPR, 23 Apr. 2024
There are no provisions to amend it if conditions in Rwanda change.
—Stephen Castle, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Experts say the most direct way to change how presidents are elected is to amend the U.S. Constitution, but there doesn't currently seem to be a feasible pathway without a consensus between both parties.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2024
And critics this week submitted signatures to qualify a November ballot measure amending Proposition 47, a 2014 measure that lowered drug and theft penalties.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
That would mean amending a 2018 federal court consent decree, in which Talen agreed to stop burning coal to settle a lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club over Clean Water Act violations.
—Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024
In August, Levine Cava recommended amending the development agreement to work around problems caused by conservation groups blocking federal approval of the project on county land that once belonged to the National Parks Service.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Dan Beans, the director of Roseville Electric, said during an April 3 City Council meeting that the request to amend city codes comes because natural gas prices ballooned by 200% to 300% over the last three years.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 2024
The bill initially had a 30-day timeline before lawsuits, but was amended to 60 days in the Senate.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near amend
Cite this Entry
“Amend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amend. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share