Heal vs. Mend — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 8, 2024
Healing involves natural or medical recovery, especially from emotional or physical wounds, while mending is fixing or repairing, often used for objects or relationships.
Difference Between Heal and Mend
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Healing often refers to the process of recovery from injuries, diseases, or emotional traumas, involving natural or medical intervention to restore health. It can apply to both physical and psychological aspects, emphasizing a gradual return to a state of wellness. Whereas mending usually involves fixing or repairing something that is broken or damaged, such as objects, relationships, or situations. It often implies an action taken to restore something to its former condition or to repair it, but doesn't necessarily involve a biological process.
The concept of healing is broader and can encompass not only the physical recovery from injuries or illnesses but also emotional and spiritual recuperation. It suggests a holistic approach, addressing various aspects of an individual's well-being. On the other hand, mending is more commonly associated with the physical repair of objects or the resolution of issues in relationships or systems, focusing on the act of correction or improvement rather than the broader process of recovery.
Healing is often used in a medical or therapeutic context, referring to the process through which the body or mind recovers from a diseased, injured, or distressed state. It emphasizes the role of natural processes, medical treatment, and care in overcoming health challenges. Meanwhile, mending tends to be used in more practical, everyday contexts, highlighting actions taken to fix or repair things, whether by stitching up a tear in fabric or by making amends in a relationship.
In the context of emotional or psychological well-being, healing denotes a journey toward recovery or finding peace after trauma, grief, or distress. It involves various stages, including understanding, acceptance, and growth, leading to emotional resilience and strength. Conversely, mending a relationship involves specific actions or efforts to resolve conflicts, rebuild trust, and improve communication, aiming to restore harmony and understanding between parties.
Despite their differences, both healing and mending carry positive connotations of improvement and restoration. While healing focuses on the recovery and rejuvenation of health or emotional state, mending emphasizes the act of repair or fixing, whether it's tangible objects or intangible aspects like relationships or feelings. Both processes are essential for maintaining well-being and harmony in life, albeit through different means and contexts.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Recovery from physical or emotional injuries
Repairing or fixing something broken
Context
Medical, therapeutic, personal growth
Practical, relational, material repair
Process
Natural, medical intervention, holistic
Action-oriented, fixing, restoring
Application
Health, psychological well-being
Objects, relationships, systems
Outcome
Restoration of well-being, overcoming distress
Restoration of former condition, resolution of issues
Compare with Definitions
Heal
Emotional Healing.
Counseling helped him heal after the loss of his partner.
Mend
Repairing Objects.
She learned to mend clothes to save money.
Heal
Spiritual Healing.
Meditation can be a powerful tool for spiritual healing.
Mend
Emotional Mend.
Time can mend the pain of heartbreak, allowing one to move forward.
Heal
Physical Recovery.
After the surgery, it took weeks for the wound to heal.
Mend
Fixing Situations.
The team brainstormed ways to mend the project's direction.
Heal
Healing Process.
The healing process can vary greatly from person to person.
Mend
Physical Mend.
The broken vase was skillfully mended to appear almost new.
Heal
Natural Healing.
Some prefer natural healing methods like herbs and acupuncture.
Mend
Mending Relationships.
They are working to mend their relationship after the argument.
Heal
To restore to health or soundness; cure
Healed the sick patient.
Mend
To make repairs or restoration to; fix.
Heal
To ease or relieve (emotional distress)
Only time can heal her grief.
Mend
To reform or correct
Mend one's ways.
Heal
To set right; repair
Healed the rift between us.
Mend
To improve in health or condition
The patient is mending well.
Heal
To recover from an illness or injury; return to health.
Mend
To heal
The bone mended in a month.
Heal
To experience relief from emotional distress
Gave the grieving family time to heal.
Mend
To make repairs or corrections.
Heal
To be relieved or eliminated
The rift between them finally healed.
Mend
The act of mending
Did a neat mend on the sock.
Heal
(transitive) To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.
This bandage will help to heal your cut.
Mend
A mended place
You can't tell where the mend is.
Heal
(intransitive) To become better or healthy again.
Bandages allow cuts to heal.
Mend
A place, as in clothing, which has been repaired by mending.
Heal
To reconcile, as a breach or difference; to make whole; to free from guilt.
To heal dissensions
Mend
The act of repairing or recovering.
My trousers have a big rip in them and need a mend.
Heal
(rare) conceal.
Mend
(transitive) To repair (something that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or otherwise damaged)
My trousers have a big rip in them and need mending.
When your car breaks down, you can take it to the garage to have it mended.
Heal
A spell or ability that restores hit points or removes a status ailment.
Mend
(transitive) To put in a better state; to set right; to reform;
Her stutter was mended by a speech therapist.
My broken heart was mended.
Heal
Health
Mend
To quicken
Heal
To cover, as a roof, with tiles, slate, lead, or the like.
Mend
(transitive) To help, to advance, to further; to add to.
Heal
To make hale, sound, or whole; to cure of a disease, wound, or other derangement; to restore to soundness or health.
Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Mend
(intransitive) To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved.
Heal
To remove or subdue; to cause to pass away; to cure; - said of a disease or a wound.
I will heal their backsliding.
Mend
To repair, as anything that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or the like; to restore from partial decay, injury, or defacement; to patch up; to put in shape or order again; to re-create; as, to mend a garment or a machine.
Heal
To restore to original purity or integrity.
Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters.
Mend
To alter for the better; to set right; to reform; hence, to quicken; as, to mend one's manners or pace.
The best service they could do the state was to mend the lives of the persons who composed it.
Heal
To reconcile, as a breach or difference; to make whole; to free from guilt; as, to heal dissensions.
Mend
To help, to advance, to further; to add to.
Though in some lands the grass is but short, yet it mends garden herbs and fruit.
You mend the jewel by the wearing it.
Heal
To grow sound; to return to a sound state; as, the limb heals, or the wound heals; - sometimes with up or over; as, it will heal up, or over.
Those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves.
Mend
To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved; to recover; to heal.
Heal
Health.
Mend
Sewing or darning that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment);
Her stockings had several mends
Heal
Heal or recover;
My broken leg is mending
Mend
The act of putting something in working order again
Heal
Get healthy again;
The wound is healing slowly
Mend
Restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken;
She repaired her TV set
Repair my shoes please
Heal
Provide a cure for, make healthy again;
The treatment cured the boy's acne
The quack pretended to heal patients but never managed to
Mend
Heal or recover;
My broken leg is mending
Common Curiosities
Can mending apply to emotional contexts?
Yes, mending can apply to emotional contexts, especially in terms of relationships.
Is medical intervention necessary for healing?
Medical intervention can facilitate healing, but natural processes also play a crucial role.
What does healing primarily focus on?
Healing primarily focuses on the recovery from physical or emotional traumas.
Can healing occur without conscious effort?
Healing can sometimes occur naturally without conscious effort, particularly in physical recovery.
What are common methods of natural healing?
Common methods include herbal remedies, acupuncture, and mindfulness practices.
Is mending always successful in restoring relationships?
Mending efforts are not always successful but are crucial steps toward resolution.
Can something be mended but not healed?
Yes, objects can be mended without 'healing', and relationships can be repaired without fully resolving underlying issues.
What role does forgiveness play in healing and mending?
Forgiveness can be crucial in both processes, aiding in overcoming resentment and facilitating repair.
How does mending differ in its approach to problems?
Mending is action-oriented, focusing on fixing or repairing the issue at hand.
Do healing and mending have the same duration?
The duration of healing and mending varies greatly depending on the context and situation.
How do emotional healing and mending differ?
Emotional healing focuses on internal recovery processes, while mending usually refers to external actions to fix issues.
Can healing be a part of mending?
Healing can be part of mending, especially in emotional or relational contexts.
How important is patience in the healing process?
Patience is vital in healing, as recovery can be slow and requires time.
What is the first step in both healing and mending?
Recognition of the problem or injury is often the first step in both processes.
Can healing and mending coexist?
Yes, in many situations, healing and mending processes can coexist and complement each other.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
