made
ˈmād 
; making; makes
; making; makes
1
2
: to put together from components : constitute
houses made of stone
3
a
: to cause to happen to or be experienced by someone
made trouble for us
b
: to cause to exist, occur, or appear : create
make a disturbance
c
: to favor the growth or occurrence of
haste makes waste
d
: to fit, intend, or destine by or as if by creating
was made to be an actor
4
b
: to execute (see execute sense 2) in an appropriate manner
make a will
5
a
: to cause to be or become
made them happy
makes it possible
b
: appoint
made him bishop
6
: to cause to act in a certain way : compel
make her give it back
7
a
: to carry out (an action indicated or implied by the object)
make war
make a speech
make a detour
b
: to perform with a bodily movement
make a sweeping gesture
8
: to frame or formulate in the mind
make plans
9
10
a
: to amount to in significance
makes a great difference
b
: to count as
that makes the third time you've said it
c
: to form the essential being of
clothes make the man
d
: to form by an assembling of individuals
make a quorum
11
a
: to be or be capable of being changed or fashioned into
rags make the best paper
b
: to develop into
she will make a fine judge
c
12
13
: to gain (something, such as money) by working, trading, or dealing
make a living
14
a
: to act so as to earn or acquire
makes friends easily
makes poor grades
b
: to score in a game or sport
make a field goal
make a birdie
c
: to convert (a split) into a spare in bowling
d
: to succeed in holing
make a putt
15
a
: to conclude as to the nature or meaning of something
what do you make of this development?
b
: to regard as being
not the fool some make him
16
a
: to produce as a result of action, effort, or behavior with respect to something
make a mess of the job
tried to make a thorough job of it
b
archaic
: to turn into another language by translation
17
a
: to include in a route or itinerary
make New York on the return trip
—often used with itmake it to the party
b
: catch sense 6b
made the bus just in time
18
: to cause or assure the success or prosperity of
can either make you or break you
19
: to provide the most enjoyable or satisfying experience of
meeting the star of the show really made our day
20
a
: to compute or estimate to be
I make it 23 miles to the border from here.
b
: to form and hold in the mind
make no doubt of it
22
a
: to fulfill (a contract) in a card game
b
: to win a trick (see trick entry 1 sense 4) with (a card)
23
: to prepare (hay) by cutting, drying, and storing
24
a
: to cause (an electric circuit) to be completed
b
chiefly dialectal
: shut
the doors are made against you—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare25
: to persuade to consent to sexual intercourse : seduce
1
: to have considerable effect
courtesy makes for safer driving
3
4
: to increase in height or size
the tide is making now
5
: to reach or extend in a certain direction
The forest makes up nearly to the snow line.
6
: to undergo manufacture or processing
the silk makes up beautifully
7
archaic
: to compose poetry
1
a
b
: the manner or style in which a thing is constructed
2
: the physical, mental, or moral constitution of a person
men of his make are rare
3
a
: the action of producing or manufacturing
b
: the actual yield or amount produced over a specified period : output
4
: the act of shuffling cards
also
: turn to shuffle
Phrases
make a face
or make faces
: to distort one's features : grimace
He made a face when I mentioned her name.
: to treat a trifling matter as of great importance
: to accept bets at calculated odds on all the entrants in a race or contest
a bartender who made book on the side
: to unite to achieve a shared goal
attempted to make common cause with the radicals in areas they could agree on
: to get along or manage with the means at hand
will just have to make do with what we've got
: to make one's means adequate to one's needs
did all they could do to make ends meet
: ogle
Some guy was making eyes at her from across the room.
: to establish a friendship or friendly relations with
made friends with his new neighbors
1
2
: to prove to be capable
: to make use of a situation or circumstance especially in order to gain an advantage
The candidate made hay of his opponent's scandalous behavior.
1
: to make progress especially against resistance
they made head against the wind—Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens2
: to rise in armed revolt
riflemen who … were called on to make head against a series of resolute efforts to drive them from Kentucky—Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt2
a
: to be successful
trying to make it in the big time as a fashion photographer—Joe Kane
Joe Kane
b
: to be satisfactory or pleasing
if it isn't danceable, it doesn't make it for me—Judy Hyman
Judy Hyman3
: to have sexual intercourse
: to treat as of little account
all these problems are humorously described but never made light of—Susan Kenney
Susan Kenney1
: to treat as of importance
The drill sergeant made much of his toughness.
2
: to treat with obvious affection or special consideration
she had evidently enjoyed being made much of in Youngstown—New Yorker
New Yorker
: to be deliberately and often insincerely polite and agreeable
must make nice to politicians they cannot stand—Ken Auletta
Ken Auletta
: to be straightforward, unhesitating, or sure
makes no bones about the seriousness of the matter
: to achieve success or fame
made his mark as a literary critic—Eric Partridge
Eric Partridge
: disclose
None of those disagreements were made public.
1
: to set out on a voyage
The ship made sail at midnight.
2
: to raise or spread sail
: to manage with difficulty
We didn't have much money, but we made shift.
: to measure up to some standard : be successful
clever and energetic enough to make the grade in a good law firm—John Train
John Train
: to show or use to the best advantage
made the most of her talents
: to be present at or participate in a usually specified activity or event
small time poets just making the scene at readings or in little mags—B. Frazer
B. Frazer1
: to travel fast
made fast time
2
: to gain time
have to make time to get to the bank before it closes
3
: to make progress toward winning favor
trying to make time with the waitress
2
: to proceed at a walk or run
: to put to use : employ
Students made good use of the new gymnasium.
: to create a stir or disturbance
continues to make waves with his unique, highly opinionated approach—Suzanne Biallot
Suzanne Biallot1
: to give room for passing, entering, or occupying
many of the old villas were being torn down to make way for high rises—William Murray
William Murray2
: to make progress
1
: in quest of a higher social or financial status
2
: in search of sexual adventure
3
: in the process of forming, growing, or improving
Synonyms
Examples of make in a Sentence
Verb
He works in a factory that makes jet engines.
She made the curtains herself.
He collected wood to make a fire.
She used cheese and a mixture of other ingredients to make a delicious sauce.
Someone was making a disturbance.
The car's engine has been making a strange noise lately.
The rock made a dent in the car's fender.
I'm not trying to make trouble.
The typist made a mistake.
I called the doctor's office to make an appointment.
Noun
“What make of car is that?” “I think it's a Ford.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
In this case, the decision to release early makes total sense as the segment will presumably be irrelevant by Wednesday.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024
Multiple media outlets were reporting the car was a 2022 Honda Pilot but police did not immediately confirm the make and model.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Verb
Some countries make visas accessible for retirees or remote workers.
—Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
In this case, the decision to release early makes total sense as the segment will presumably be irrelevant by Wednesday.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
This was another way to get more efficiency out of the second make line and help increase speed of service and convenience for guests.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024
Multiple media outlets were reporting the car was a 2022 Honda Pilot but police did not immediately confirm the make and model.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make
Dictionary Entries Near make
Cite this Entry
“Make.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
make
1 of 2 verb
made
ˈmād
; making
; making
1
a
: to begin or seem to begin an action
she made as if to go
b
: to act so as to appear
make merry
2
a
: to cause to exist or occur : create
make a noise
make trouble
b
: to create for some purpose or goal
she was made to be a surgeon
3
4
: to frame in the mind
make plans
5
: to put together from parts
houses made of stone
6
: to estimate to be : compute
I make it an even $5
8
: to cut and spread for drying
make hay
9
a
: to cause to be or become
made herself useful
b
: appoint
made him her assistant
10
a
: enact sense 1, establish
make laws
b
: to prepare in an appropriate manner
make a will
11
a
: understand sense 1a
unable to make anything of the story
b
: to regard as being : consider
he is not the fool you make him
12
: do entry 1 sense 1a, perform
make war
make a bow
13
: to produce or acquire by or as if by action or effort
made a mess of the job
make good money
make friends
14
: to force to act in some manner
made her return home
15
: to cause or assure the success of
the first case made the new lawyer
16
: to develop into
she will make a fine judge
17
a
: reach entry 1 sense 2c, attain
the ship makes port tonight
he made corporal in 10 months
they made it to the other side of the bridge
b
: to gain a place on or in
made the track team
the story made the papers
18
: catch entry 1 sense 7b
make the train
19
: to set out in pursuit
made after the fox
20
: to provide the most satisfying experience of
meeting the star of the show really made our day
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