amends

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'amends' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone has done something that causes harm or distress, and they want to apologize and/or make up for it. For example, "I'm sorry for not being there for you when you needed me; I would like to make amends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To make amends and honour the fallen soldiers, Andrew Renshaw has compiled the fully updated Wisden on the Great War: the Lives of Cricket's Fallen 1914 1918, which includes 89 new obituaries and corrects any mistakes in the 1,788 obituaries that appeared in Wisden from 1915 to 1920.

The Guardian - Sport

Knowing that the charity would probably never see the money, the Portsmouth fan Tom Purnell started a JustGiving campaign to make amends.

The Guardian - Sport

After six minutes Liebrich made a certain amount of amends for his tackle in the group game, giving the ball straight to Bozsik 40 yards from goal.

The Guardian - Sport

"Given SSE's admission to its failure, its action to make amends and the small scale of the breach, Ofgem believes the £100,000 payment is the right level of penalty, and will not take further action in this case".

The Guardian - Business

In the only Scottish Premier League fixture this weekend, Roman Golobart made amends for a spectacular own goal by scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw between Inverness and Kilmarnock.

The Guardian - Sport

Bochum took the lead when defender Manuel Friedrich deflected a shot by Joel Epalle into his own net, but Friedrich made amends by heading in the equaliser shortly before half-time.

The Guardian - Sport

To this end the act creates a new criminal offence restricting protest outside residential premises and amends the Companies Act to limit availability of directors' and company secretaries' home addresses.

The Guardian - Opinion

"He... [needs] to make amends to my client," Tillotson said.

The Guardian - Sport

Still, Panesar should have ample opportunity to make amends in Derbyshire's second innings.

The Guardian - Sport

The Great One had already rewritten much of the NHL's record book when he joined the show in 1986 and made amends for his infamous "Mickey Mouse organization" remark about the New Jersey Devils.

The Guardian - Sport

It is nice knowing that and the opportunity to make amends as a captain.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "amends" when you want to express that someone is making an effort to repair damage or compensate for a wrong. For example, after an argument, one might try to "make amends" with a heartfelt apology or a kind gesture.

Common error

Avoid using "amends" solely in the context of apologies without any tangible effort to repair the damage. Saying "I'm sorry" isn't enough; the action must involve concrete steps to rectify the situation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "amends" is as a noun, often used in the plural form. It typically refers to the act of compensating for a wrong or injury. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the word is suitable for use in written English and serves to express a desire to make up for harm or distress caused.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Ludwig AI confirms that "amends" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun, indicating compensation or reparation for a wrong. Predominantly found in news and business contexts, it conveys an intention to rectify harm. Related phrases include "reparations" and "restitution", while common errors involve misunderstanding the scope of the word by using it only in apologies without tangible actions. Make an effort to use "amends" correctly, the phrase will improve the quality of your writing. Ludwig examples confirm its usage across diverse credible sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reparations

Refers specifically to the act of making amends for a wrong, often involving financial compensation or other forms of restitution.

restitution

Focuses on restoring something lost or damaged to its rightful owner or original condition.

atonement

Implies a deeper sense of remorse and seeking forgiveness, often in a religious or moral context.

redress

Suggests setting right what is wrong, often through legal or political means.

satisfaction

Focuses on providing contentment or fulfillment to someone who has been wronged.

expiation

Similar to atonement, but with a stronger emphasis on removing guilt or sin.

recompense

Indicates compensation for loss or suffering.

indemnification

Provides protection or security against financial loss or damage.

making good

An informal phrase that is used to mean compensating for a loss or damage.

correcting a mistake

Highlights the action of fixing an error or fault.

FAQs

How to use "amends" in a sentence?

You can use "amends" to indicate making reparations for a wrong. For example, "He tried to make "amends" for his mistake by offering to pay for the damages."

What can I say instead of "make amends"?

You can use alternatives like "make "reparations"", "offer "restitution"", or "provide "compensation" depending on the context."

Which is correct, "make amends" or "do amends"?

"Make "amends"" is the correct idiomatic expression. "Do amends" is not standard English usage.

What's the difference between "apology" and "amends"?

An "apology" is an expression of regret, while "amends" involves concrete actions to repair or compensate for the wrong. An apology can be part of making "amends", but it is not the complete act.