made

American  

[meyd] / meɪd /

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of make.

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adjective

1. produced by making, preparing, etc., in a particular way (often used in combination).

   well-made garments.

2. artificially produced.

   made fur.

3. invented or made-up.

   to tell made stories about oneself.

4. prepared, especially from several ingredients.

   a made dish.

5. assured of success or fortune.

   a made man.

idioms

1. have it made,

   1. to be assured or confident of success.

      With a straight A average he's got it made.

   2. to have achieved success, especially wealth, status, or the like.

made British  

/ meɪd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of make 1

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adjective

1. artificially produced

2. (in combination) produced or shaped as specified

   handmade

3. informal to be assured of success

4. very rich

made More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing made

• have it made
• make

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Usage

What is a basic definition of made? Made is the past tense and past participle of the verb make, meaning to create from materials. As an adjective, made describes something as being built or fashioned in a certain way or something that is guaranteed to have success or good fortune in the future. Made has a few other senses as an adjective.Made is a past tense verb that means to have been produced, fashioned, or built out of materials or components.

• Real-life examples: Many products are made in China. Toys, electronics, furniture, and many other things are made in factories. Spider webs are made by spiders.
• Used in a sentence: Maria’s kids made a big mess in the living room.

As an adjective, made describes something as having been produced or manufactured in a specific way.

• Used in a sentence: The bridge was well made and lasted for centuries.

Made can also describe something as being ensured future success or having a very bright future. Usually, this sense refers to a person being very rich or having a luxurious lifestyle. This sense is used in the phrase to have it made.

• Used in a sentence: With her hundreds of servants to wait on her, Lori’s got it made!

Other Word Forms

• half-made adjective
• undermade adjective

Etymology

Origin of made

First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Before Rowan knows it, Mag has moved in and made herself comfortable, but already seems a bit overbearing, organizing girls’ nights and declaring herself “Mag the hag.”

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

He made it clear: The time had come to change the way Mauldin drew those cartoons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The cam has followed Jackie and Shadow, who have been mating since 2018, and made the birds worldwide celebrities and regular fixtures of morning TV shows.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

A federal emergency management official recently made a claim that has left colleagues scratching their heads and the internet buzzing.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Took for granted every sacrifice she made for us.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith