make for
Britishverb
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to head towards, esp in haste
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to prepare to attack
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to help to bring about
your cooperation will make for the success of our project
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Have or cause to have a particular effect; also, help promote or further. For example, That letter of yours will make for hard feelings in the family , or This system makes for better communication . [Early 1500s]
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Go toward, as in They turned around and made for home . This usage originated in the late 1500s, but was not widely used until the 1800s. Also see made for .
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.
From here, Netflix faces difficult decisions that could make for a more difficult narrative for investors, according to the Wells Fargo analysts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
“Emotions are running very high on both sides of the border; emotions make for lousy forecasts,” said Derek Holt, economist at Bank of Nova Scotia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The two kinds of programs make for different pitches to attract diverse students.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
All that is great, and would conceivably make for a very great film — if there were any film at the core of all of these ideas.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
The sounds of the planets make for a great conversation starter if you have people to talk to, but if you don’t, they make for great white noise when you’re going to sleep.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
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.
