[Idiom] MEND FENCES. - Effective Strategies for Rebuilding Broken Relationships

Restore friendly relations.

To 'Mend fences' is to repair or restore relationships that have been damaged by conflict or neglect. Visualize two neighbors whose friendship deteriorated after a dispute over property boundaries. By choosing to mend fences, they decide to work on understanding each other’s concerns and rebuild their previous amicable relation. This idiom is rooted in the literal act of fixing fences, which border properties, symbolizing the removal of barriers to friendship and cooperation.

Example Sentences

1. Tom decided to mend fences with his old friend after their misunderstanding.

   Tom decided to repair his relationship with his old friend after their disagreement.

2. After years of not speaking, Sarah wanted to mend fences with her sister.

   After years of not talking, Sarah wanted to improve her relationship with her sister.

3. They realized it was time to mend fences and put their differences aside for the family reunion.

   They realized it was time to improve their relationships and put aside their differences for the family reunion.