Correction is a noun with several related meanings. It can mean fixing a mistake, a form of disciplinetraining or punishment used to control behavior and encourage obedience or rebukestrong criticism or spoken disapproval of someone’s behavior, a small adjustment to improve accuracythe quality of being correct, exact, and free from errors, or a market drop after a rise.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /kəˈrɛkʃən/
Easy pronunciation: kuh-REK-shun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress on the second syllable: REK.
Uses the noun sense meaning the act of fixing a mistake or making something right.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Correction Meaning
the act of fixing a mistake or making something right
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right
Example: The editor made a correction to the article before it was published.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- rectification — A direct match for fixing an error or making something right.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Correction
Meaning 2
the act of training or punishing someone to improve behavior
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of disciplining
Example: The school emphasized correction rather than suspension.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- discipline — Works when correction means training or punishment to improve behavior.
Meaning 3
a small adjustment made to improve accuracy
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a quantity that is added or subtracted in order to increase the accuracy of a scientific measure
Example: The measurement needed a correction for temperature changes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- fudge factor — A possible match in technical contexts, but it is more informal and less precise.
Meaning 4
a sharp comment telling someone they were wrong
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a rebuke for making a mistake
Example: He received a correction from his teacher for speaking out of turn.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- chastening — Can fit when correction means a humbling rebuke, though it is less direct.
- chastisement — A strong match for a rebuke or punishment for a mistake.
Meaning 5
a fall in prices after a period of growth
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a drop in stock market activity or stock prices following a period of increases
Example: After weeks of gains, the market went through a correction.
Meaning 6
something used instead of a mistaken item or detail
Part of speech: noun
Definition: something substituted for an error
Example: The printed list included a correction to the wrong address.
Meaning 7
a treatment that fixes a particular problem
Part of speech: noun
Definition: treatment of a specific defect
Example: The correction of his vision with eyeglasses helped him read again.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Correction Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- rectification
disciplining or punishment to improve behavior
- discipline
rebuke or punishment for a mistake
- chastisement
- chastening
a technical adjustment to improve accuracy
- fudge factor
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using correction to mean only proofreading; it can also mean discipline, a rebuke, an adjustment, or a market decline.
- Mixing up correction with correction in finance, where it refers to a temporary fall in prices, not a mistake being fixed.
- Treating chastening as a direct everyday synonym in all contexts; it is usually more formal or literary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does correction mean?
Correction usually means fixing a mistake or setting something right, but it can also mean discipline, a rebuke, a technical adjustment, or a decline in stock prices.
What is a simple synonym for correction?
For the main meaning, rectification is a close synonym. In behavior contexts, discipline can also work.
Is correction always about mistakes?
No. It can also refer to discipline, a reprimand, a scientific adjustment, or a drop in the market after a rise.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.