make something of

Idioms  

1. Render important or useful; improve. For example, Dad hoped Tim would make something of himself . [Late 1700s]

2. Give undue importance to something, especially a problem or disagreement, as in Ann decided to make something of it when Bob said women's studies is not a real discipline . This usage sometimes is put as make something out of nothing , as in So what if Jim had coffee with your girlfriend—don't make something out of nothing . For an antonym, see make nothing of , def. 1.

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Example Sentences

“He could relate to my problems, my environment. The drive, the determination, not to give in to the ghetto, to make something of my life, stems from my relations with him.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

“We as Americans have always prioritized ‘Go build something,’ make something of yourself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

"I always dreamt of going to school, to learn and to make something of myself," she says.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

We had, after all, explicitly rejected the idea of an aristocracy and built our entire national mythology around the idea that you could make something of yourself no matter what the circumstances of your birth.

From Salon • May 16, 2025

He was still penniless and desperate, and he knew that to make something of his idea was going to require years of backbreaking labor.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell