What does mending mean?
Mending is the activity of repairing something that has been torn, broken, or damaged, especially clothing, footwear, or household objects. As a verb form, it describes the action in progress: a person may be mending a fence, a hem, or a piece of furniture. As a noun, “mending” can refer to the repairs themselves, as in “a basket of mending,” or to the broader practice of repairing rather than replacing. The word often conveys patience, care, and practical skill, particularly when someone repairs an old or cherished item instead of discarding it. Although “mend” can also be used figuratively, as in “mend one’s ways,” its everyday meaning is associated with restoration and making useful something that has been damaged.
To repair something that is broken, torn, or damaged.
"She is mending a hole in her jumper."
Used for repairing clothing, fabric, footwear, furniture, fences, and other objects; it can also have figurative uses such as improving conduct.
The process or work of repairing damaged or torn things.
"He took the torn coat home for mending."
Usually uncountable, though “mendings” can occasionally be used for individual items or repairs.
Usually “mending” is uncountable; the plural “mendings” is uncommon and may refer to individual repaired items or acts of repair.
"The old basket was full of mending."
The word “mending” carries an old-fashioned sense of careful repair that suggests patience, thrift, and making damaged things useful again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mending come from?
The verb “mend” comes from Old English “mendan,” meaning to repair or make good, with a development similar to forms in related Germanic languages. The present participle “mending” follows the regular English pattern of adding “-ing.” The word is also related to “amend,” which originally meant to correct or improve and later came to mean formally to alter legislation or regulations.
Related word forms
How mending is actually used
Mending is common for repairing torn or damaged clothing and household objects. In contemporary English, the verb mend is often used in figurative expressions such as “mend one’s ways,” while “mending” as a noun can sound slightly old-fashioned but remains widely understood.
Easily confused with mending
Mending is the process of repairing damaged or torn items, whereas amending means making changes to a document, rule, or proposal.