remediation

en
en
Change language
Translating...
Find language
Русский
Russian
Français
French
Español
Spanish
Deutsch
German
Português
Portuguese
/rɪˌmiːdiˈeɪʃən/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
The organized work of correcting a problem or deficiency, from learning gaps and unsafe sites to software vulnerabilities and building defects.

Examples

  • Project managers scheduled remediation before the new wing construction began.
  • The contractor performed remediation to fix water damage in the basement.
  • Groundwater remediation involved pumping and treating contaminated water.
  • Structural remediation restored the historic bridge to safe standards.
  • After the assessment, the school provided remediation to close reading gaps.

Similar words

improvement
site remediation
decontamination
soil remediation
repair
bug fixing
adjustment
detoxification
fixing
rectification

Meanings

Act of remedying

noun
everyday
neutral
The process of correcting or improving something that is undesirable or defective.

Usage

Use remediation when you refer to a systematic effort to fix a problem or deficiency.

Examples

  • The company's remediation plan addressed the data breach quickly.
  • After the audit, the firm began a remediation of its financial controls.
  • The school district's remediation helped improve test scores.
  • The city launched a remediation to fix the pothole problem.
  • The software vendor offered remediation for the reported bugs.
  • The hospital's remediation of outdated equipment improved patient safety.

Common mistakes

The noun is sometimes forced into a verb slot, or confused with a simple improvement that does not correct a problem.
IncorrectCorrect
The team will remediation the issue tomorrow. The team will remediate the issue tomorrow.
We need remediation the budget errors. We need remediation of the budget errors.
The chef's remediation of the soup was delicious. The chef's improvement of the soup was delicious.
The festival's remediation was a huge success. The festival's celebration was a huge success.

Similar words

Cleaning polluted sites

noun
environment
neutral
The process of removing contaminants and restoring a natural environment to a safe or healthy condition.

Usage

Use remediation for actions that clean up soil, water, or air contamination.

Examples

  • The river's remediation removed heavy metals and restored wildlife.
  • Soil remediation at the former industrial site used bioremediation techniques.
  • Air remediation reduced airborne toxins after the factory shutdown.
  • The coastal remediation project reclaimed wetlands and prevented erosion.
  • Groundwater remediation involved pumping and treating contaminated water.
  • The park's remediation cleared debris and planted native trees.

Common mistakes

The environmental sense is sometimes used for ordinary removal, recycling, or landscaping that does not address contamination.
IncorrectCorrect
The remediation removed the old trees from the park. The cleanup removed the old trees from the park.
We need remediation of the paperwork. We need processing of the paperwork.
Environmental remediation is the same as recycling. Environmental remediation cleans or controls contamination.
The remediation team will remove the wildlife. The remediation team will restore the contaminated habitat.

Similar words

Providing remedial instruction

noun
education
neutral
Targeted teaching or training designed to help learners who are behind or struggling to reach expected standards.

Usage

Use remediation for programs that offer extra help to students who need to catch up.

Examples

  • The district's remediation program offers extra math tutoring for struggling students.
  • After the assessment, the school provided remediation to close reading gaps.
  • Teachers use targeted remediation to bring students up to grade level.
  • The university's remediation courses help adult learners meet prerequisite requirements.
  • Online remediation tools adapt to each learner's needs.
  • Parents appreciated the remediation that boosted their child's confidence.

Common mistakes

The education sense is sometimes stretched to any extra teaching, even when there is no learning gap to close.
IncorrectCorrect
The school offers remediation for gifted students. The school offers enrichment for gifted students.
Remediation includes advanced courses for top students. Remediation includes support courses for students who are behind.
We need remediation for the new curriculum. We need development for the new curriculum.
The teacher gave remediation to introduce a new topic. The teacher gave instruction to introduce a new topic.

Similar words

Fixing security vulnerabilities

noun
technology
neutral
The systematic process of identifying, correcting, and verifying fixes for security flaws in software or systems.

Usage

Use remediation when describing the steps taken to patch or mitigate a cyber threat.

Examples

  • The incident response team executed remediation to patch the vulnerable server.
  • After the breach, the company prioritized remediation of critical flaws.
  • Automated remediation applied updates across all endpoints.
  • The security audit identified issues that required immediate remediation.
  • Remediation of the ransomware attack involved restoring clean backups.
  • The vendor's remediation guide detailed step‑by‑step fixes.

Common mistakes

The security sense is often confused with mitigation, detection, or general prevention.
IncorrectCorrect
We mitigated the vulnerability instead of remediation. We remediated the vulnerability instead of only mitigating it.
Remediation means detecting attacks. Remediation means fixing the flaw or removing the exposure.
The remediation was a new firewall. The remediation involved installing and configuring a new firewall.
Remediation can replace security audits. Remediation often follows security audits.

Similar words

Repairing defects in buildings

noun
construction
neutral
The work undertaken to correct structural problems, remove hazardous materials, or restore a building to a safe condition.

Usage

Use remediation for projects that fix defects, remove contaminants, or refurbish structures.

Examples

  • The building's remediation removed asbestos and repaired the façade.
  • Site remediation addressed foundation cracks and soil contamination.
  • The contractor performed remediation to fix water damage in the basement.
  • Structural remediation restored the historic bridge to safe standards.
  • The renovation included remediation of hazardous lead paint.
  • Project managers scheduled remediation before the new wing construction began.

Common mistakes

The construction sense is sometimes confused with renovation or ordinary upgrades that are not corrective work.
IncorrectCorrect
The renovation was a remediation of the building. The remediation of the building fixed structural defects.
Remediation means adding new design features. Remediation means correcting defects or hazards.
We need remediation to upgrade the kitchen. We need renovation to upgrade the kitchen.
The remediation removed the old paint. The remediation removed hazardous lead paint.

Similar words

Usage

Use remediation as the noun for a planned corrective process, and use remediate when a verb is needed.

Common mistakes

Remediate is sometimes treated as an error, but it is the accepted verb. The noun remediation needs support from verbs such as begin, perform, require, or complete.

Etymology

Recorded from 1818 as a noun for the action of remedying, from the stem of Latin remediare, linked to remedium, meaning a cure or remedy. Its educational use is attested by the 1960s, and its pollution-cleanup use by the 1980s.

FAQ

What does remediation mean?

Remediation is the process of correcting a problem, deficiency, hazard, or harmful condition.

Is remediate a real verb?

Yes. Remediate is the verb, while remediation is the noun for the process or work.

What is environmental remediation?

Environmental remediation cleans contaminated soil, water, air, or buildings so they are safer to use.

What is educational remediation?

Educational remediation gives targeted instruction to help learners close skill or knowledge gaps.

What does remediation mean in cybersecurity?

In cybersecurity, remediation fixes or removes a vulnerability rather than only reducing its risk.

How is remediation different from mitigation?

Remediation corrects the underlying problem, while mitigation reduces harm or exposure when the problem may still remain.

Can remediation mean repair work in construction?

Yes. Remediation can describe corrective work on defects, contamination, water damage, asbestos, lead paint, or other hazards.

What is a remediation plan?

A remediation plan sets out the problem, corrective steps, responsibilities, timing, and checks that the fix worked.

Where does remediation come from?

Remediation is recorded from 1818 and is tied to Latin remedium, a cure or remedy.

Comments & contributions

Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Posting as a guest · Sign in
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.
Look up word or phrase...