make

[ meyk ]

/ meɪk /

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See synonyms for: make / made / makes / making on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), made, mak·ing.

to bring into existence by shaping or changing material, combining parts, etc.: to make a dress; to make a channel; to make a work of art.

to produce; cause to exist or happen; bring about: to make trouble; to make war.

to cause to be or become; render: to make someone happy.

to appoint or name: The president made her his special envoy.

to put in the proper condition or state, as for use; fix; prepare: to make a bed; to make dinner.

to bring into a certain form: to make bricks out of clay.

to convert from one state, condition, category, etc., to another: to make a virtue of one's vices.

to cause, induce, or compel: to make a horse jump a barrier.

to give rise to; occasion: It's not worth making a fuss over such a trifle.

to produce, earn, or win for oneself: to make a good salary; to make one's fortune in oil.

to write or compose: to make a short poem for the occasion.

to draw up, as a legal document; draft: to make a will.

to do; effect: to make a bargain.

to establish or enact; put into existence: to make laws.

to become by development; prove to be: You'll make a good lawyer.

to form in the mind, as a judgment or estimate: to make a decision.

to judge or interpret, as to the truth, nature, meaning, etc. (often followed by of): What do you make of it?

to estimate; reckon: to make the distance at ten miles.

to bring together separate parts so as to produce a whole; compose; form: to make a matched set.

to amount to; bring up the total to: Two plus two makes four. That makes an even dozen.

to serve as: to make good reading.

to be sufficient to constitute: One story does not make a writer.

to be adequate or suitable for: This wool will make a warm sweater.

to assure the success or fortune of: a deal that could make or break him; Seeing her made my day.

to deliver, utter, or put forth: to make a stirring speech.

to go or travel at a particular speed: to make 60 miles an hour.

to arrive at or reach; attain: The ship made port on Friday. Do you think he'll make 80?

to arrive in time for: to make the first show.

to arrive in time to be a passenger on (a plane, boat, bus, train, etc.): If you hurry, you can make the next flight.

Informal. to gain or acquire a position within: He made the big time.

to receive mention or appear in or on: The robbery made the front page.

to gain recognition or honor by winning a place or being chosen for inclusion in or on: The novel made the bestseller list. He made the all-American team three years in a row.

Slang. to have sexual intercourse with.

Cards.

to name (the trump).
to take a trick with (a card).
Bridge. to fulfill or achieve (a contract or bid).
to shuffle (the cards).

to earn, as a score: The team made 40 points in the first half.

Slang. (especially in police and underworld use)

to recognize or identify: Any cop in town will make you as soon as you walk down the street.
to charge or cause to be charged with a crime: The police expect to make a couple of suspects soon.

to close (an electric circuit).

South Midland and Southern U.S. to plant and cultivate or produce (a crop): He makes some of the best corn in the country.

verb (used without object), made, mak·ing.

to cause oneself, or something understood, to be as specified: to make sure.

to show oneself to be or seem in action or behavior (usually followed by an adjective): to make merry.

to be made, as specified: This fabric makes up into beautiful drapes.

to move or proceed in a particular direction: They made after the thief.

to rise, as the tide or water in a ship.

South Midland and Southern U.S. (of a crop) to grow, develop, or mature: It looks like the corn's going to make pretty good this year.

make down, Chiefly Pennsylvania German. to rain or snow: It's making down hard.

make fast, Chiefly Nautical. to fasten or secure.

make shut, Chiefly Pennsylvania German. to close: Make the door shut.

noun

the style or manner in which something is made; form; build.

production with reference to the manufacturer; brand: our own make.

disposition; character; nature.

the act or process of making.

quantity made; output.

Cards. the act of naming the trump, or the suit named as trump.

Electricity. the closing of an electric circuit.

Jewelry. the excellence of a polished diamond with regard to proportion, symmetry, and finish.

Slang. identifying information about a person or thing from police records: He radioed headquarters for a make on the car's license plate.

Verb Phrases

make out,

to write out or complete, as a bill or check.
to establish; prove.
to decipher; discern.
to imply, suggest, or impute: He made me out to be a liar.
to manage; succeed: How are you making out in your new job?
Slang. to engage in kissing and caressing; neck.
Slang. to have sexual intercourse.
Chiefly Pennsylvania German. to turn off or extinguish (especially a light or fire): Make the light out.

make over,

to remodel; alter: to make over a dress; to make over a page layout.
to transfer the title of (property); convey: After she retired she made over her property to her children and moved to Florida.

make for,

to go toward; approach: to make for home.
to lunge at; attack.
to help to promote or maintain: This incident will not make for better understanding between the warring factions.

make off,

to run away; depart hastily: The only witness to the accident made off before the police arrived.
Nautical. to stand off from a coast, especially a lee shore.

make off with, to carry away; steal: While the family was away, thieves made off with most of their valuables.

make on, Chiefly Pennsylvania German. to turn on, light, or ignite (especially a light or fire): Make the light on.

make up,

(of parts) to constitute; compose; form.
to put together; construct; compile.
to concoct; invent.
Also make up for. to compensate for; make good.
to complete.
to put in order; arrange:The maid will make up the room.
to conclude; decide.
to settle amicably, as differences.
to become reconciled, as after a quarrel.
Printing. to arrange set type, illustrations, etc., into columns or pages.
to dress in appropriate costume and apply cosmetics for a part on the stage.
to apply cosmetics.
to adjust or balance, as accounts; prepare, as statements.
Education. to repeat (a course or examination that one has failed).
Education. to take an examination that one had been unable to take when first given, usually because of absence.
to specify and indicate the layout or arrangement of (columns, pages, etc., of matter to be printed).
Atlantic States. (of the weather or clouds) to develop or gather: It's making up for a storm.
Atlantic States. (of the sea) to become turbulent: If the sea makes up, row toward land.

make up to,

Informal. to try to become friendly with; fawn on.
to make advances to; flirt with: He makes up to every new woman in the office.

OTHER WORDS FOR make

1 form; build; produce; fabricate, create, fashion, mold.

7 transform, change, turn.

8 force.

10 get, gain, acquire, obtain, secure, procure.

13 perform, execute.

18 judge, gauge.

48 shape, structure, construction, constitution.

See synonyms for make on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR make

1 destroy.

See antonyms for make on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about make

make a play for, to try to get: He made a play for his brother's girlfriend. They made a play for control of the company's stock.

make as if / as though, Informal. to act as if; pretend: We will make as if to leave, then come back and surprise him.

make away with,

to steal: The clerk made away with the cash and checks.
to destroy; kill: He made away with his enemies.
to get rid of.
to consume, drink, or eat completely: The boys made away with the contents of the refrigerator.

make believe, to pretend; imagine: The little girl dressed in a sheet and made believe she was a ghost.

make (so) bold, to have the temerity; be so rash; dare: May I make so bold as to suggest that you stand when they enter?

make book, Slang.

to take bets and give odds.
to make a business of this.

make colors, Nautical. to hoist an ensign, as on board a warship.

make do, to function, manage, or operate, usually on a deprivation level with minimal requirements: During the war we had no butter or coffee, so we had to make do without them.

make good,

to provide restitution or reparation for: The bank teller made good the shortage and was given a light sentence.
to succeed: Talent and training are necessary to make good in some fields.
to fulfill: He made good on his promise.
Navigation. to compute (a course) allowing for leeway and compass deviation.

make heavy weather,

Nautical. to roll and pitch in heavy seas.
to progress laboriously; struggle, especially to struggle needlessly: I am making heavy weather with my income tax return.

make it,

Informal. to achieve a specific goal: to make it to the train; to make it through college.
Informal. to succeed in general: He'll never make it in business.
Slang. to have sexual intercourse.

make it so, Nautical. strike the ship's bell accordingly: said by the officer of the watch when the hour is announced.

make like, Informal. to try or pretend to be like; imitate: I'm going to go out and make like a gardener.

make one's manners, Southern U.S.

to perform an appropriate or expected social courtesy.
Older Use. to bow or curtsy.

make sail, Nautical.

to set sails.
to brace the yards of a ship that has been hove to in order to make headway.

make time. time (def. 52).

make water,

to urinate.
Nautical. (of a hull) to leak.

make with, Slang.

to operate; use: Let's make with the feet.
to bring about; provide or produce: He makes with the big ideas, but can't follow through.

on the make, Informal.

seeking to improve one's social or financial position, usually at the expense of others or of principle.
increasing; advancing.
Slang. seeking amorous or sexual relations: The park was swarming with sailors on the make.

put the make on, Slang. to make sexual overtures to.

Origin of make

First recorded before 900; Middle English maken, macke, Old English macian; cognate with Low German, Dutch maken, German machen

synonym study for make

1. Make, construct, manufacture mean to produce, to put into definite form, or to put parts together to make a whole. Make is the general term: Bees make wax. Construct, more formal, means to put parts together, usually according to a plan or design: to construct a building. Manufacture usually refers to producing something from material that requires conversion from one state or condition to another, now almost entirely by means of machinery in a relatively complex process: to manufacture automobiles by the assembly of different parts. The term is also often used contemptuously of unimaginative or hackneyed works of art with the implication that the work was produced mechanically, and is used abstractly with the idea of denying genuineness: to manufacture an excuse.

OTHER WORDS FROM make

mak·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby make

Makarova, Makassar, Makassarese, Makassar Strait, Makati, make, make a beeline for, make a break for, make a bundle, make a clean breast of, make a clean breast of it

Other definitions for make (2 of 2)

make²

[ meyk ]

/ meɪk /

noun British Dialect.

a peer or equal.

a spouse, mate, consort, or lover.

a friend; companion.

Origin of make

First recorded before 1000; Middle English mak, make, Old English gemaca; akin to Old High German kamahho “ally,” Old Icelandic maki “spouse, mate”; see match²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT MAKE

What is a basic definition of make?

Make means to create, to force, or to cause to happen. Make has many other senses as a verb and a noun. The word make is used in a huge amount of idioms, as well.

If you make something, you are building it or bringing it into existence. It is possible to make both physical things (breakfast, a snowman, etc.) and nonphysical things (a deal, a promise, etc.). People make things by combining parts or ingredients, shaping materials, or triggering them to happen through their actions. Someone who makes something is its maker.

Real-life examples: Bakers make bread and pastries. Politicians make laws. Children often make a mess. Painters and sculptors make works of art.
Used in a sentence: She made a deal with him that they would split the rent evenly.

If you make someone do something, you force them to do it.

Real-life examples: Parents make their children go to school. Our country makes us pay taxes. You might make your dog behave.
Used in a sentence: I made Rick apologize to Emily for eating her lunch.

Make can also mean to cause something to occur. If a person makes something happen, they might not have directly done the work but they are the reason that it happened. For example, you might make someone smile by giving them a gift. While the gift may be the true source of joy, you are the person who caused them to smile by giving it to them.

Used in a sentence: The thunderstorm made us decide to reschedule the picnic.

Where does make come from?

The first records of make come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English verb macian and is related to the Dutch maken and the German machen.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to make?

maker (noun)
makable (adjective)
makeless (adjective)

What are some synonyms for make?

What are some words that share a root or word element with make?

What are some words that often get used in discussing make?

How is make used in real life?

Make is a very common word that often means to create something.

Tell Us 3 actors and actresses you'd want to see make a movie together in 2021 🎬🎥⭐

— Us Weekly (@usweekly) January 6, 2021

Keeping up with current events makes me sad but I can’t stop… 🙃

— Leena Xu (@leena_xu) January 8, 2021

In my former life, when I worked at a mall information desk, we offered gift-wrapping as a service for the holiday season. Of course, no one checked to see if I was any skilled at gift-wrapping, but they made me do it anyway.

— Joe (@JoeRiveraSN) December 24, 2020

Try using make!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of make?

A. create
B. build
C. produce
D. destroy

How to use make in a sentence

Genetics alone does not an eating disorder make, generally speaking, and Bulik points out that environment still plays a role.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And yes, our values include tolerance of those who wish to make fun of religion.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The court ruled she lacked the maturity to make her own medical decisions.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And it must make sure that the platform of debate where we can freely exchange ideas is safe and sound.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Through his company, consumers will be able to cheaply make custom DNA strands, including what Heinz calls “creatures.”
Design Your Own Dinosaur: The Era of Custom DNA|Justin Jones|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And to tell the truth, she couldn't help wishing he could see, so he could make the game livelier.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
She did not need a great cook-book; She knew how much and what it took To make things good and sweet and light.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
Now this setting up of an orderly law-abiding self seems to me to imply that there are impulses which make for order.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Those in whom the impulse is strong and dominant are perhaps those who in later years make the good society actors.
Children's Ways|James Sully

British Dictionary definitions for make (1 of 2)

make¹

/ (meɪk) /

verb makes, making or made (mainly tr)

to bring into being by shaping, changing, or combining materials, ideas, etc; form or fashion; createto make a chair from bits of wood; make a poem

to draw up, establish, or formto make a decision; make one's will

to cause to exist, bring about, or producedon't make a noise

to cause, compel, or induceplease make him go away

to appoint or assign, as to a rank or positionthey made him chairman

to constituteone swallow doesn't make a summer

(also intr) to come or cause to come into a specified state or conditionto make merry; make someone happy

(copula) to be or become through developmenthe will make a good teacher

to cause or ensure the success ofyour news has made my day

to amount totwelve inches make a foot

to be part of or a member ofdid she make one of the party?

to serve as or be suitable forthat piece of cloth will make a coat

to prepare or put into a fit condition for useto make a bed

to be the essential element in or part ofcharm makes a good salesman

to carry out, effect, or doto make a gesture

(intr; foll by to, as if to, or as though to) to act with the intention or with a show of doing somethingthey made to go out; he made as if to hit her

to use for a specified purposeI will make this town my base

to deliver or pronounceto make a speech

to judge, reckon, or give one's own opinion or information as towhat time do you make it?

to cause to seem or represent as beingthat furniture makes the room look dark

to earn, acquire, or win for oneselfto make friends; make a fortune

to engage inmake love not war

to traverse or cover (distance) by travellingwe can make a hundred miles by nightfall

to arrive in time forhe didn't make the first act of the play

cards

to win a trick with (a specified card)
to shuffle (the cards)
bridge to fulfil (a contract) by winning the necessary number of tricks

cricket to score (runs)

electronics to close (a circuit) permitting a flow of currentCompare break (def. 44)

(intr) to increase in depththe water in the hold was making a foot a minute

(intr) (of hay) to dry and mature

informal to gain a place or position on or into make the headlines; make the first team

informal to achieve the rank of

slang to seduce

make a book to take bets on a race or other contest

make a day of it to cause an activity to last a day

make a night of it to cause an activity to last a night

make do See do 1 (def. 37)

make eyes at to flirt with or ogle

make good See good (def. 44)

make heavy weather nautical to roll and pitch in heavy seas

make heavy weather of something informal to carry something out with great difficulty or unnecessarily great effort

make it

informal to be successful in doing something
(foll by with) slang to have sexual intercourse
slang to inject a narcotic drug

make like slang, mainly US and Canadian to imitate

make love

to have sexual intercourse
archaic to engage in courtship

make love to someone

to have sexual intercourse with someone
archaic to engage in courtship with someone

make or break to bring success or ruin

make time See time (def. 45)

make water

another term for urinate
(of a boat, hull, etc) to let in water

noun

brand, type, or stylewhat make of car is that?

the manner or way in which something is made

disposition or character; make-up

the act or process of making

the amount or number made

bridge the contract to be played

cards a player's turn to shuffle

on the make

informal out for profit or conquest
slang in search of a sexual partner

Derived forms of make

makable, adjective

Word Origin for make

Old English macian; related to Old Frisian makia to construct, Dutch maken, German machen to make

British Dictionary definitions for make (2 of 2)

make²

/ (meɪk) /

noun archaic

a peer or consort

a mate or spouse

Derived forms of make

makeless, adjective

Word Origin for make

Old English gemaca mate; related to match 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

Other Idioms and Phrases with make

make

In addition to the idioms beginning with make

make a beeline for
make a break for
make a bundle
make a clean breast of
make a clean sweep
make a comeback
make a crack
make a date
make a day of it
make a dent in
make a difference
make advances
make a face
make a federal case of
make a fool of
make a fortune
make a fuss
make a go of
make a hash of
make a hit
make a hole in
make a killing
make a laughingstock of
make a living
make allowance for
make a long story short
make amends
make a monkey out of
make a mountain out of a molehill
make a name for oneself
make an appearance
make an appointment
make an ass of
make an end of
make an example of
make an exception
make an exhibition of oneself
make a night of it
make an impression
make a note of
make a nuisance of oneself
make a pass at
make a pig of oneself
make a pile
make a pitch for
make a play for
make a point of
make a practice of
make arrangements for
make a run for
make a scene
make as if
make a silk purse
make a stab at
make a stand
make a statement
make a stink
make a virtue of necessity
make away with
make bail
make believe
make bold
make book
make bricks without straw
make capital out of
make conversation
make demands on
make do
make ends meet
make eyes at
make fast work of
make for
make free with
make friends
make fun of
make good
make good time
make great strides
make haste
make hay while the sun shines
make head or tail of
make headway
make heavy weather
make history
make inroads into
make it
make it hot for
make it one's business
make it snappy
make it up
make it with
make light of
make like
make little of
make love
make mincemeat of
make mischief
make much of
make my day
make no bones about
make no difference
make no mistake
make nothing of
make off
make one's bed and lie in it
make one's blood boil
make one's blood run cold
make one's day
make one's ears burn
make oneself at home
make oneself scarce
make one's flesh creep
make one's hair stand on end
make one's head spin
make one sick
make one's mark
make one's mouth water
make one's peace with
make one's point
make one's way
make or break
make out
make out like a bandit
make over
make peace
make ready
make rounds
make sail
make sense
make short work of
make someone look good
make something of
make sport of
make stick
make sure
make the bed
make the best of it
make the dust fly
make the grade
make the most of
make the rounds
make the scene
make the sparks fly
make time
make tracks
make up
make up for lost time
make up one's mind
make up to
make use of
make waves
make way
make whoopee
make with

also see:

absence makes the heart grow fonder
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
can't make head or tail of
kiss and make up
many hands make light work
might makes right
on the make
practice makes perfect
put in (make) an appearance
put the make on
run for it, make a
that makes two of us
two wrongs do not make a right
what makes one tick

Also see undermade.

make

OTHER WORDS FOR make

OPPOSITES FOR make

Idioms about make

Origin of make

synonym study for make

OTHER WORDS FROM make

Words nearby make

Other definitions for make (2 of 2)

Origin of make

MORE ABOUT MAKE

What is a basic definition of make?

Where does make come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is make used in real life?

Try using make!

Words related to make

How to use make in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for make (1 of 2)

Derived forms of make

Word Origin for make

British Dictionary definitions for make (2 of 2)

Derived forms of make

Word Origin for make

Other Idioms and Phrases with make