mending fences
Patching things up
Mending fences is repairing a damaged relationship or restoring goodwill after a disagreement.
The metaphor comes from neighbors maintaining the fence between their properties—a shared responsibility that keeps peace.
Politicians mend fences with constituents; families mend fences after feuds: After the argument, he spent months mending fences with his brother.
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- burying the hatchetEnding hostilities permanently
- making peaceEnding hostilities between parties
- repairRestore to working order
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
forgiveness · apology · bridge-building · building bridges · upkeep · negotiation · trust-building · patching · peacemaking · reinforcement · olive branch · clearing the air · healing · arbitration · rebuilding · understanding · diplomacy · compromise
- farm choresmilking cows, milking, egg gathering, mucking stalls, hay baling
- conflict resolutioncompromise, negotiation, mediation, reconciliation, dialogue
- forgivenessforgiveness of sins, redemption, absolve, mercy, grace
- reconciliationreconciliation, reconcile, reconciled, reconciling, making up
- reconnectingreunion, reconciliation, renewal, mending, catching up
- reconciliation in literatureforgiveness, redemption, healing, closure, atonement
mending fencesburning bridges
Ruining relationships irreparably
severing ties · alienating · estranging · poisoning the well · falling out
mending fencesburning bridges
Ruining relationships irreparably
fanning the flames · escalating · picking fights · provoking · declaring war
mend, mends, mended, mender, menders, fence, fences, fenced, fencing