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Synonyms

make up for lost time

Idioms  

  1. Also, make up ground. Hurry to compensate for wasted time, as in They married late but hoped to make up for lost time, or We're behind in the schedule, and we'll just have to make up ground as best we can. The first term was first recorded in 1774; the variant dates from the late 1800s.

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.

In 2024, China removed the tariffs and Penfolds tried to make up for lost time, shipping large quantities of red wine to the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

He sees these as wasted years and wants to make up for lost time.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

On Saturday, Oscar would be able to make up for lost time at the postponed homecoming dance — on campus.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

You can’t make up for lost time in investing, no matter how much money you throw at it later.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 25, 2025

I got home much later than usual during that week because I had to make up for lost time.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

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.