What does mendable mean?
“Mendable” is an adjective meaning able to be repaired or put right. It describes damage, defects, or objects that are not beyond restoration: a torn coat, a cracked frame, or a bridge with a mendable structural fault. The word is less common than “repairable” and often has a slightly traditional, formal, or literary tone, although it remains entirely natural in general English. It is particularly useful when the idea of mending an existing thing is more apt than making a new replacement. In modern writing, “repairable” will often be clearer and more frequent, but “mendable” can add a sense of practicality and durability. The related verb “mend” means to repair something or improve its condition, and “mender” names a person or thing that performs such repairs.
adjectiveCapable of being repaired or put right. Often used of damage, faults, or objects that can be restored to a satisfactory condition.
- Able to be mended or repaired.
"The damage was minor and readily mendable."
"The torn seam was mendable, but the damaged frame was not."
"Engineers assessed whether the bridge remained mendable after the collision."
“Mendable” preserves the old-fashioned sense of mending something: not flawless, but still good enough to be put right.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mendable come from?
The word is formed from “mend,” which comes from Old English “mendan,” meaning to repair, make good, or put right. “Mendable” developed with the usual English adjective suffix “-able,” meaning capable of being acted upon in a particular way. Related forms such as “amend” and “emend” also express the idea of correcting or repairing, although they entered English through different linguistic developments. “Mender,” the corresponding agent noun, is recorded from the same verbal base.
Related word forms
How mendable is actually used
“Mendable” is less common than “repairable” and can sound somewhat formal, traditional, or slightly literary. It is especially natural with damage, faults, clothing, and objects rather than with people or abstract problems.
Easily confused with mendable
Both mean capable of being repaired, but “repairable” is the more common and general modern term, while “mendable” is less frequent and often has a slightly more formal or traditional tone.