mending

American  

[men-ding] / ˈmɛn dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that mends.

2. articles, especially clothes, to be mended.

   Grandmother always kept her mending in this wicker basket.

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mending British  

/ ˈmɛndɪŋ /

noun

1. something to be mended, esp clothes

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Etymology

Origin of mending

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; mend, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

There’s a tension in his art, between fracture and mending, destruction and creation, that holds out a promise of rebirth and lends humble forms outsize power.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

"You don't get many people mending raw cashmere," said Wade, whose role is to meticulously inspect and darn any defects in the fabric by hand, before it is washed, cut and shipped around the world.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

But the Mandelson mess makes mending what's been done that much harder.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

But inviting us to sit down with a show about mental health professionals mending their spirits is group therapy on a massive scale in a time of diagnosable disorder.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

“If there’s money to be had, we should spend it on mending Main Street.”

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate