in the making

Idioms  

1. In the process of developing or growing, being made, as in The editor believed this election signified history in the making. This term is frequently used to describe the course of events, as in the example. [Mid-1600s]

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Example Sentences

His vision for the building has been 20 years in the making, and he’s faced an enormous amount of pushback, but the structure is here and his enthusiasm for it has not waned.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Raicek often writes her plays in weekslong “volcanic eruptions,” but “The Plunge” was years in the making.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

"This is a huge public health crisis in the making," said Covarrubias, who is also an assistant professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

For Netflix, the bigger prize could be the long-awaited showdown between Fury and Joshua - a fight years in the making but still one of the sport's most lucrative possibilities.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

She knew this was unrealistic, but she was also a grandmother—and part of her hoped her only granddaughter was a genius in the making.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• bare
• incomplete
• unadorned
• undeveloped
• unfulfilled