on the make
Idioms-
Seeking personal gain, as in Tom's a young man on the make—he doesn't care whom he offends . [ Slang ; second half of 1800s]
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Looking for sexual conquest, as in After several affairs, Peter got the reputation of being a man on the make . [ Slang ; c. 1920]
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.
Mr. Restall’s Columbus was a man on the make, a social climber who used his marriage in 1479 to Felipa Moniz, the daughter of a minor aristocrat, to further his standing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
I confess it was more than a little jarring to see my beloved scatterbrained Mrs. Oliver turned into Fey’s stylish, fast-talking writer on the make.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2023
The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909 had staked Seattle’s claim as a city on the make.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2022
Depending on the make and model of the gun, owners could be compensated from between $1,000 and $2,100, according to a proposed price list.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 2, 2022
Alas, Egyptian mines were tapped out; the Ptolemies were therefore constantly on the make for gold and silver to pay their soldiers.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
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.
