noun phrase · academic

constitutional amendment

UK/ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃənəl əˈmɛndmənt/US/ˌkɑːnstɪˈtuːʃənəl əˈmɛndmənt/con·sti·TU·tion·al a·MEND·ment

Band 7+task2speaking

An official change or addition made to a country's constitution.

Examples

Debating a constitutional amendment often divides lawmakers for months.

A constitutional amendment requires a supermajority in many countries.

Citizens campaigned for a constitutional amendment to protect minority rights.

Band 8 sentence

Proposing a constitutional amendment is a fraught process that often exposes fundamental disagreements about the nature of the state.

Collocations

  • propose a constitutional amendment
  • ratify a constitutional amendment
  • introduce a constitutional amendment

Word family

amend verbamendment nounconstitutional adjective

Common mistakes

change the constitutionconstitutional amendment

amendment of constitutionconstitutional amendment

Say it for a higher band

5change the constitution6amend the constitution7+constitutional amendment

Synonyms

constitutional reform

Easily confused

constitutional reform

The committee recommended a package of constitutional reforms rather than a single amendment.

Related words

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In Society & Government

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