Redeem
v.hopeful, resilienteveryday
What it means
To repair the value or reputation of something through a later good act or outcome.
Reach for it when describing meaningful recovery from failure, loss, or a prior wrong
His patient second performance redeemed an uneven opening night.
Choose between these
6- everyday
salvage
some worth is rescued from failure
not when Salvage implies incomplete recovery.
- warm
make amends
a person actively repairs harm
not when Amends requires responsibility to another.
- warm
a situation is saved from a bad result
not when Rescue may involve an outside helper.
- professional
value or standing returns
not when Restoration may require no prior fault.
- formal
atone
moral wrongdoing is acknowledged
not when Atonement is stronger and often religious.
- formal
later evidence proves a choice right
not when Vindication denies rather than repairs blame.
Said against
3- disgrace
- forfeit
- worsen
It naturally appears in
3- redeem oneself
She redeemed herself by returning and finishing the difficult task.
- redeem a mistake
One generous choice cannot fully redeem a mistake.
- redeeming feature
The courtyard was the building's chief redeeming feature.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense: compensate for a fault or restore worth opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.