made-up
Americanadjective
-
concocted; falsely fabricated or invented.
a made-up story.
-
being in makeup; wearing facial cosmetics.
-
put together; finished.
adjective
-
invented; fictional
a made-up story
-
wearing make-up
a well made-up woman
-
put together; assembled
-
(of a road) surfaced with asphalt, concrete, etc
Etymology
Origin of made-up
First recorded in 1600–10
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.
“The Odyssey” is a made-up story, and the characters of a made-up story can look however we want them to.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Inside, neatly made-up rooms for visiting priests line warmly lit halls that lead to a chapel where the 400-year-old ritual takes place.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
Although the metric is essentially a made-up measure, it matters for Strategy investors and the crypto market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Talarico might as well throw some weird made-up insinuations at Paxton to keep up.
From Slate ● May 30, 2026
“It’s just another of Ruth’s made-up things, that’s all.”
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
