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Meaning & use

to make amends for

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UK/tə ˌmeɪk əˈmendz fə/
US/tə ˌmeɪk əˈmendz fɚ/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    to do something good that shows you are sorry for a wrong or hurt you caused.

    Grammar: Used after verbs like want, try, hope, or need; without 'to' it becomes 'make amends for something'.

    Patterns

    • make amends for something
    • make amends for doing something
    • make amends to someone for something
    • want/try/hope to make amends for something

    He tried to make amends for missing his daughter's birthday by taking her away for the weekend.

    The company promised to make amends for the delay by refunding every customer.

    I would like to make amends for what I said at dinner last night.

  2. phraseidiom

    to give someone something or treat them better as a way of repairing a relationship after you have harmed them.

    Grammar: Often followed by 'to someone' when you name the person you hurt: make amends to your brother.

    Patterns

    • make amends to someone
    • make amends to someone for something

    After years of silence, she finally made amends to her brother.

    He bought his neighbor a new fence to make amends to him for the accident.

    They are trying to make amends to the families they let down.

Common combinations

try to make amends for
She is trying to make amends for the way she treated him.
make amends for past mistakes
The new manager wants to make amends for past mistakes.
make amends to someone
He never made amends to the people he had cheated.
want to make amends
I want to make amends, but I don't know where to start.
a chance to make amends for
The final game is a chance to make amends for last week's loss.

Synonyms and how they differ

apologize
Use 'apologize' when you simply say sorry; 'make amends' suggests you also do something to repair the harm.
atone
'Atone' is more formal and often religious, and it stresses paying for a wrong rather than repairing a relationship.
compensate
'Compensate' focuses on giving money or something of value back; 'make amends' can also mean kind acts or changed behavior.

Opposites

offendwrong

Word family

amends noun
Reparation or compensation for a wrong, used mainly in the phrase 'make amends'.
amendment noun
A change made to a text, law, or agreement; not related in meaning to apologizing.

Commonly confused: to make amends for or amend? to make amends for or amends?

to make amends for vs amend

'Amend' means to change or improve a text or law; 'make amends' means to repair a relationship after hurting someone.

to make amends for vs amends

Learners sometimes write 'make amend' or 'make an amends'; the fixed phrase is 'make amends' with no article.

Practice

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