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amends

/əˈmɛndz/

So you blew the surprise party by mentioning it in passing to the birthday girl. Now, you have to do something to make amends, or reparations, to the boyfriend who worked all day to set up the party.

When you make amends, you mend something you have damaged, like a deal, or relationship. Maybe, your cupcake shop was panned by a food critic in the paper, but he never went to your store, he went to that awful cupcake shop across the street. The critic should make amends by printing a retraction.

Definitions of amends
  1. noun
    something done or paid in expiation of a wrong
    “how can I make amends
    synonyms: reparation
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    type of:
    atonement, expiation, propitiation
    the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)
  2. noun
    a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
    synonyms: damages, indemnification, indemnity, redress, restitution
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    types:
    show 7 types...
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    relief
    (law) redress awarded by a court
    actual damages, compensatory damages, general damages
    (law) compensation for losses that can readily be proven to have occurred and for which the injured party has the right to be compensated
    nominal damages
    (law) a trivial sum (usually $1.00) awarded as recognition that a legal injury was sustained (as for technical violations of a contract)
    exemplary damages, punitive damages, smart money
    (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct)
    atonement, expiation, satisfaction
    compensation for a wrong
    double damages
    twice the amount that a court would normally find the injured party entitled to
    treble damages
    three times the amount that a court would normally find the injured party entitled to
    type of:
    compensation
    something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘amends'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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