Rectify
Typos, unfair grades, and leaky pipes all want this verb once someone admits the baseline was wrong.
Learn This WordMeaning
To put something right; to correct or fix.
Memory trick
RECTify: “rect” = right (like “rectangle” has right angles). Rectify = make right.
Examples
We need to rectify the billing error before customers are charged again.
He apologized to rectify the misunderstanding.
The patch rectified the performance regression.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin rectificare "make right," from rectus "right" + facere "to make."
Usage Notes
Common in formal and professional contexts. Stronger than “fix” when you want a crisp, responsible tone.
Real-life contexts
Use in incident response: "We’ll rectify this and follow up with root cause."
Use for alignment: "Let’s rectify expectations before we proceed."
Use for ownership: "I’ll rectify the mistake and update the doc."
Common Mistakes
Rectify is about correcting something wrong; it’s not the same as “justify.”
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Start LearningQuick Facts
Part of Speech
verb
Difficulty
intermediateMonthly Searches
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