# Amend Meaning: Fix a Commit or Doc Without Starting Over

> To make changes or corrections to code, a pull request, or documentation to improve or fix it.

- **Term:** amend
- **Part of speech:** verb
- **Pronunciation:** /əˈmend/
- **English level (CEFR):** B2
- **Register:** Neutral, Both
- **Region:** US and UK
- **Topic:** [Code and Git terms](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/topics/software-development-terms.md)
- **Lesson:** https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/amend
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-27

## Meaning

To make changes or corrections to code, a pull request, or documentation to improve or fix it. To modify something before finalizing or merging it.

In tech workplaces, amend is used when developers need to modify their code or commits before they are merged into the main branch. It is commonly used in code review conversations when a reviewer asks the author to make adjustments. The term suggests making targeted, intentional improvements rather than starting over. You might amend a pull request by adding comments, fixing bugs, or addressing feedback. The word is formal enough for professional communication but casual enough for daily standups and team chats. It is less common than 'fix' or 'change', but it sounds more deliberate and planned.

## When you hear it

The code reviewer asked me to amend the pull request before approval.

## Examples

- **in a code review:** "The reviewer said, 'Please amend this pull request to include error handling for edge cases.'"
- **in a standup:** "Today I need to amend the authentication module after yesterday's security audit."
- **in a team meeting:** "We should amend the deployment script to support the new server configuration."

## What native speakers say

- "Amend the PR before we merge"
- "I will amend the code based on your feedback"
- "Can you amend the commit message?"

## Common mistakes

- ✗ "We need to amend our entire system." → ✓ "We need to amend the login function." (Amend suggests targeted changes, not large-scale rewrites. Use 'refactor' or 'rebuild' for bigger work.)
- ✗ "I amended the bug in production." → ✓ "I fixed the bug in production. / I amended the code to fix the bug." (You amend code, not bugs directly. Be clear about what you changed.)
- ✗ "Can you amend this for me?" → ✓ "Can you review this and suggest amendments? / Can you help me amend this?" (Amend implies the speaker is making the change themselves. If asking someone else, ask them to review or help.)

## Be careful

Do not confuse with 'amend' as a legal term; in tech, it means to make changes to code or documents, not to formally alter agreements.

## Word forms

| Part of speech | Word | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| verb (base form) | amend | I will amend the code before Monday. |
| verb (past tense) | amended | She amended the pull request after feedback. |
| verb (present participle) | amending | We are amending the deployment script right now. |
| noun | amendment | The amendment to the API was approved. |


## Collocations

- **amend + pull request / PR**: Most common collocation in tech; means to update changes before merging
- **amend + code**: Generic use; means to modify source code
- **amend + commit**: Used with Git; means to change a commit message or add files to a commit
- **amend + documentation**: To update or correct written technical documentation
- **request an amendment / suggest amendments**: To ask someone to make changes

## Synonyms

- **modify**: More general; can refer to larger or smaller changes
- **update**: Broader term; often used for adding new features or improvements
- **fix**: More specific to bugs; less formal than amend
- **revise**: Similar meaning; slightly more formal, often used for documents

## Opposites

- approve
- finalize
- merge

## Practice

This lesson has 4 practice exercises with instant feedback on the page: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/amend

## FAQ

### What does amend mean in software engineering?

In software engineering, amend means to make targeted changes or corrections to code, a pull request, or documentation. It implies making intentional, focused improvements before finalizing or merging the work.

### How do you use amend in a sentence at work?

You can say: 'Please amend the PR based on the review comments', 'I need to amend this function', or 'Can you help me amend the deployment script?' It is used when discussing code changes in standups, code reviews, and team meetings.

### Is amend formal or informal?

Amend is neutral in formality. It is professional enough for formal code reviews and documentation, but casual enough for daily standups and team chats. It is more deliberate and planned-sounding than simple words like 'fix' or 'change'.

### How is amend different from fix?

Fix is more specific to bugs and problems, while amend refers to any intentional changes or improvements. Amend sounds more formal and planned, whereas fix sounds more urgent or reactive.

### Can you amend code in production?

In technical terms, yes, but in workplace conversation, 'amend' usually refers to code before it is merged or deployed. If you need to make changes to production code, people may say 'patch' or 'hotfix' instead.


## Related

- [pull request](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/pull-request.md)
- [code review](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/code-review.md)
- [commit](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/commit.md)
- [merge](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/merge.md)
- [refactor](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/refactor.md)
- Full glossary: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md
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