mend fences
Restore broken bonds
To mend fences is to repair a damaged relationship or restore goodwill after a disagreement: After the argument, she spent weeks trying to mend fences with her sister.
The phrase evokes the practical wisdom that neighbors who maintain their shared boundaries stay on good terms.
Politicians mend fences with constituents; colleagues mend fences after workplace conflicts.
- make upFacial beauty products
- kiss and make upResolve conflict affectionately
- make peaceResolve conflict between parties
- reconcileResolve a disagreement
- patch upRepair roughly or reconcile
repair · olive branch · peace offering · apology · bury the hatchet · let bygones be bygones · restore · rebuild · build bridges · neighbor · good neighbor · diplomacy · forgiveness · rapprochement · trust-building · peacemaking · talk it out · truce
- reconciliationreconciliation, reconcile, reconciled, reconciling, making up
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- apologiessorry, forgive me, my mistake, mea culpa, sincere apology
- Sewing Metaphorsseamless, threadbare, woven, patched up, hanging by a thread
- harmony phrasesin sync, in tune, on the same page, see eye to eye, hand in hand
mend fencesburn bridges
End relationships irreparably
drive a wedge · pick a fight · hold a grudge · stir up trouble · alienate
mend fenceshold a grudge
Maintain lasting resentment
bear a grudge · keep score · dig in one's heels · give the cold shoulder · freeze out
mend fencesdeclare war
Formally announce military action
cut ties · slam the door · shut out · stonewall · cold-shoulder
fence, mend, defend, defense, offense, offensive, offend, amend, amends