make small changes to fix or improve

amend

verb|/əˈmɛnd/

To make minor changes to improve or correct something

Examples

In a meeting

We need to amend the contract to reflect the new timeline.

Over coffee

I'd like to amend my earlier statement—I was wrong about the date.

Why this word

change

amend specifically means making formal improvements or corrections to documents/laws, while change is generic about alteration

revise

amend implies formal modification to improve or correct, often in legal contexts, while revise is broader about reviewing and changing

fix

amend is formal language for officially correcting or improving, while fix is informal and suggests repair

Usage tip

Implies improvement or correction, not complete rewriting—smaller changes than 'revise'

Etymology

Latin: emendare (e- 'out' + menda 'fault')

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