made
Americanverb
adjective
idioms
verb
adjective
-
artificially produced
-
(in combination) produced or shaped as specified
handmade
-
informal to be assured of success
-
very rich
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.
- Used in a sentence: The bridge was well made and lasted for centuries.
- Used in a sentence: With her hundreds of servants to wait on her, Lori’s got it made!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of made
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Explanation
Something that's made is created, crafted, or invented, A locally made blanket is crocheted or woven in your state or region. You'll most often find the adjective made in combination with another word, like hand, U.S., or sustainably. A hand-made quilt, for example, is sewn without a machine. A made bed, on the other hand, is one that's got its sheets tucked in and blankets pulled neatly up, and a "made man" is a guy whose future success is all settled.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But it was the promised post-game fireworks celebration that made the biggest splash.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 5, 2026
The country's first black president, Barack Obama, reshared excerpts of a recent speech he made at his presidential museum's opening.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
They are health conscious, and popular tracking devices such as Oura rings and Fitbits have made the downsides of alcohol, like disrupted sleep, clearer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026
People in Guam and the Northern Marianas moved to emergency evacuation centers and made last-minute preparations on Sunday, hours before a "super typhoon" was projected to bulldoze through the US Pacific territories.
From Barron's • Jul. 5, 2026
How had she made a hundred pieces of frybread and not even tasted it?
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.