Confusables Entry 46 / 1011 60-second read

Amend vs. Emend

Changing for improvement versus correcting a text.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

We need to emend the contract to include the new clause.

✓ Correct

We need to amend the contract to include the new clause.

More examplesii

01

The bill was emended in the senate.

The bill was amended in the senate.

02

Please amend the typos in the documentation.

Please emend the typos in the documentation.

The ruleiii

AMEND = to change for the better or add to (laws, contracts).

Both involve 'fixing' or 'changing' something, and they share a similar root. 'Emend' is much more specific to editing and proofreading.

Memory aidiv

Remember it like this

E-mend is for E-diting. A-mend is for A-dding or A-ltering.

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