What does remedying mean?
Remedying means taking action to correct a problem, fault, deficiency, or unsatisfactory condition. It is used when a situation is recognized as flawed and steps are taken to put it right, as in remedying inequality, remedying a shortage, or remedying the effects of an accident. The word has a formal, purposeful tone and is especially common in public policy, healthcare, education, legal writing, and institutional reports. It can suggest that the problem is serious enough to require systematic attention, although it is less severe than words such as curing or eliminating. As a present participle, remedying may describe either ongoing action or a broader purpose. Related forms include the noun remedy and the adjective remedial, both reflecting the same sense of healing or correction. Overall, remedying is useful where neutral language such as fixing might be too casual or where the emphasis is on addressing a recognized deficiency.
verbTo correct a fault, problem, or deficiency, or to put right something that is unsatisfactory. As a present participle, it can describe an action aimed at remedying a problem.
- To correct or put right a problem, fault, deficiency, or harmful situation.
"The new measures are intended to remedy the widespread shortages in rural clinics."
"The council introduced new recycling facilities to remedy the problem of excessive waste."
"Quick action is essential in remedying the damage caused by the flood."
From Latin remediāre, meaning “to heal,” remedying carries the idea of making a flawed situation whole again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does remedying come from?
The English verb remedy comes through Middle English and Anglo-Norman French from Latin remediāre, meaning “to heal” or “to remedy.” The present-participle form remedying is an ordinary English inflection of that verb. The Latin word belongs to the same root as English remedial, remediation, and remedy, all of which preserve the idea of healing or corrective treatment.
How remedying is actually used
Remedying is formal and commonly used in public policy, education, healthcare, law, and institutional contexts. It is somewhat more deliberate and evaluative than simply fixing something, implying a recognized fault or deficiency.
Easily confused with remedying
Remedy is the noun for a treatment or solution, while remedying is the verb describing the act of correcting a problem.