Definition of redressnext
as in to avenge
to punish in kind the wrongdoer responsible for the belief that redressing a murder with another murder, even if carried out by the state, is not morally justified

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb redress differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of redress are amend, correct, emend, rectify, reform, remedy, and revise. While all these words mean "to make right what is wrong," redress implies making compensation or reparation for an unfairness, injustice, or imbalance.

redress past social injustices

How is amend related to other words for redress?

Amend, reform, and revise imply an improving by making corrective changes, amend usually suggesting slight changes.

amend a law

When might correct be a better fit than redress?

The synonyms correct and redress are sometimes interchangeable, but correct implies taking action to remove errors, faults, deviations, defects.

correct your spelling

Where would emend be a reasonable alternative to redress?

Although the words emend and redress have much in common, emend specifically implies correction of a text or manuscript.

emend a text

When is rectify a more appropriate choice than redress?

The words rectify and redress can be used in similar contexts, but rectify implies a more essential changing to make something right, just, or properly controlled or directed.

rectify a misguided policy

In what contexts can reform take the place of redress?

While the synonyms reform and redress are close in meaning, reform implies drastic change.

plans to reform the court system

When can remedy be used instead of redress?

The words remedy and redress are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, remedy implies removing or making harmless a cause of trouble, harm, or evil.

set out to remedy the evils of the world

When could revise be used to replace redress?

In some situations, the words revise and redress are roughly equivalent. However, revise suggests a careful examination of something and the making of necessary changes.

revise the schedule

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of redress
Noun
Recommendations from the Russell City Reparative Justice Project were used as a framework to establish a joint redress fund for former residents and their descendants, one that could finally compensate them for the county’s unjust policies. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Reparations is about structural repair and redress on a massive scale. — Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Verb
About 10,000 small businesses tend to be ethical and work to redress the vast social justice abuses of the war on drugs. — Peter Grinspoon, STAT, 9 July 2026 The sister prize for nonfiction was founded in 2024 to help redress a gender imbalance in publishing. — ABC News, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for redress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for redress
Noun
  • While the British government has consistently rejected calls for financial reparations, the Crown’s referral effectively delegates the legal parsing of these historical grievances to the Privy Council in London.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The idea for Evanston's reparations program took root in 2019, when Robin Rue Simmons, then a councilmember representing the city's historic Black neighborhood, the 5th Ward, was researching why its Black population was shrinking.
    — Adrian Florido, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There’s her grief over Tommy’s death and desire to avenge him.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Wolverines can change the narrative by upsetting Oklahoma and avenging a 24-13 loss from last season.
    — Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Expected to begin in early October, the mediation will not determine responsibility, only negotiate potential victim compensation.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The measure’s primary backer, SEIU-UHW, argues the clinics are misspending funds on items like executive compensation that should go towards patient care.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The City of Boulder and Boulder County, Colorado, in 2018 sued major fossil-fuel producers Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy, seeking financial damages under state public nuisance law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The family is seeking an unspecified amount in damages, as well as the parents’ removal from the registry.
    — Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Redress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/redress. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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