making amends

USAGE SUMMARY

"making amends" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use "making amends" when someone has done something wrong and is seeking reconciliation. For example: "John apologized for his mistake and offered to help clean up the mess as a way of making amends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Making amends.

The Guardian - Books

The Nationals are making amends.

The New York Times - Sports

Warner Bros is belatedly making amends.

The Guardian - Film

One culprit of a chargedown making amends.

The Guardian - Sport

I imagined confessing and making amends.

The New York Times

Making amends is giving your money back to you.

Independent

Apologizing and making amends is the right thing to do.

The New York Times

But now Ms. Sieger is making amends in death.

The New York Times

The compensation is only a part of making amends.

The Guardian - Opinion

It was a week, it seemed, for making amends.

The New York Times

Hence his obsession with making amends to God.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "making amends", ensure that the actions taken genuinely address the harm caused and are not merely superficial gestures. Focus on understanding the impact of your actions on others and tailoring your amends accordingly.

Common error

Avoid assuming that simply apologizing is sufficient for "making amends". Apologies are a crucial first step, but true amends often require concrete actions to repair the damage or restore trust.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making amends" functions as a gerund phrase, often serving as a noun in a sentence. It describes the action of atoning for a wrong. Ludwig highlights the frequent use of this phrase in describing efforts to correct mistakes and restore relationships.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Huffington Post

3%

Science

3%

TechCrunch

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "making amends" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase that signifies the act of atoning for a wrong and seeking reconciliation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is frequently employed in contexts such as News & Media, Wiki, and Formal & Business. While simply apologizing is often the initial step, the true essence of "making amends" lies in the concrete actions taken to rectify the harm caused. When composing content using this phrase, remember that genuine actions speak louder than words and that the focus should be on understanding the impact of your behavior and acting accordingly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

atoning for wrongdoing

Implies a deeper sense of regret and a desire to correct a moral wrong.

offering reparations

Focuses on providing compensation or restitution for harm caused.

seeking reconciliation

Highlights the goal of restoring a relationship after a conflict or transgression.

correcting mistakes

A more general phrase that emphasizes the act of fixing errors.

putting things right

An informal expression suggesting an effort to restore balance or fairness.

redressing grievances

Focuses on addressing and resolving complaints or injustices.

offering an apology

More narrowly focused on expressing remorse, which is one aspect of "making amends".

doing penance

Suggests a form of self-punishment or religious atonement.

compensating for errors

Emphasizes providing something to offset a mistake or harm.

repairing damage

Focuses on fixing physical or emotional harm that has been caused.

FAQs

What's the best way to use "making amends" in a sentence?

Use "making amends" to describe actions taken to correct a wrong or repair a relationship. For example, "After realizing his mistake, he dedicated himself to "making amends" to those he had hurt."

What can I say instead of "making amends"?

Alternatives to "making amends" include "atoning for wrongdoing", "offering reparations", or "seeking reconciliation", depending on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it correct to say "make amends" or "making amends"?

"Make amends" is the base form of the phrase, while "making amends" is the present participle form, used to describe an ongoing process. Both are correct, depending on the sentence structure. For example, "He wants to make amends" versus "He is currently "making amends"".

What's the difference between apologizing and "making amends"?

Apologizing is expressing regret or remorse for a wrongdoing, while "making amends" involves taking concrete actions to repair the harm caused by that wrongdoing. Apologizing is often a part of "making amends", but it's not the entirety of it.