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Showing results for "made"
  • past participle of make.
  • past tense form of make.
Synonyms

made

American  
[meyd] / meɪd /

verb

  1. simple past tense and past participle of make.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. artificially produced

  2. (in combination) produced or shaped as specified

    handmade

  3. informal to be assured of success

  4. very rich

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
made More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing made


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

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.

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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.

See Examples For:

It made him appreciate the delicacy of life on our planet in the way astronomer Carl Sagan once did when speaking of the Pale Blue Dot photograph.

From BBC Aug. 9, 2026

She went back inside and made the deposit.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 9, 2026

The cubs made her a mother for the first time, a hopeful sign for these endangered animals.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 8, 2026

Nearly a year later, Cornell has made its position considerably clearer.

From Salon Aug. 8, 2026

“That’s right, son. Hundreds of people were in our last camp. But not everyone drowned. And not every wagon failed. Most animals made it.”

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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