make

MAYK/meɪk/

Formsmakes, making, made

Often confused with do

51 meanings of make

Practice

1
build or produceverbtransitive
To create something, for example by building it or putting parts together.
Let's make a bird feeder for the yard.
He makes deodorants for a living.
UsageSay made of wood, or made from grapes.
Similarbuild, construct, produce, create, manufacture
Oppositedestroy, dismantle
2
perform an actverbtransitive
To do the action that the next word names, as in make a choice, make a mistake, or make a phone call.
The driver made a U-turn in the middle of the road.
He tried to make a pass and lost the ball.
UsageSay make a mistake, but do your homework.
Similarperform, execute
3
verb
To cause someone or something to become or seem a certain way, as in the news made me sad.
This might make you a bit sleepy.
The news made her happy.
UsageSay it made me happy (not ~~incorrect: made me to be happy~~).
Similarrender, leave
4
cause to actverb
To force or cause someone to do something.
The onions are making my eyes water.
Don't make me laugh.
UsageSay they made me wait, but I was made to wait.
Similarforce, compel, oblige
5
cookverbtransitive
To cook or prepare something to eat or drink.
Dad is making pancakes this morning.
Shall I make some tea?
UsageSay make me tea, or make tea for me.
Similarprepare, cook, fix
6
formverbtransitive
To form something, add up to an amount, or be enough to count as something.
Twelve eggs make a dozen, so we need two more.
That makes the third time this week.
Similarconstitute, form, equal
Note
7
earn or winverbtransitive
To earn or win money, points, or a place.
He made the team this year.
How much do you make a year?
Similarearn, gain, reach
Oppositelose
Note
8
verbcolloquialtransitive
To reach a place or event, often by a certain time.
We should make Cincinnati by seven.
Hurry up, or we won't make the last train home.
UsageOften said as make it: can you make it on Friday?
Similarcatch, reach
Oppositemiss
Note
9
verbtransitive
To write or compose something, like a poem or a will.
Grandpa made a will and left the house to Mom.
He wants to make a will.
UsageSay make a list.
Similarwrite, draft, compose

Less common meanings

10
verbtransitive
To turn out to be something, or have what it takes.
Your brother would make a great teacher.
That old barn would make a good studio.
UsageSay he will make a good dad.
Similarbecome
11
bedverbtransitive
To tidy a bed and put the covers straight.
Make your bed before you come down.
The maid made the beds every morning.
12
appointverbtransitive
To give someone a certain job or rank.
The company made her manager after only two years.
They want to make her captain for the final.
UsageSay they made her captain.
Similarappoint, name
13
form in mindverbtransitive
To form an idea or plan in your mind.
Try not to make a judgment until you hear the whole story.
They made plans for the summer.
Similarform, formulate
14
lead toverbintransitive
To help bring about a result, or to work against it, used with for or against.
Long, sunny days make for happy campers.
Heavy rain made for a slow drive home.
UsageCompare make for a good day with make for the door, which means go toward the door.
Similarmilitate
Note
15
travel (miles)verbtransitive
To travel a certain distance or go at a certain speed.
We made thirty miles before dark.
On foot you can make ten miles a day.
Similarcover, travel, complete, do
16
verbcolloquialintransitive
To go or head in a certain direction.
When the storm broke, we made for the nearest shelter.
Let's make for home before it gets dark.
UsageSay make for the door: go toward it.
Similarhead, proceed
17
cause successverbtransitivestressed
To bring someone success, or be the reason for it.
That one hit song made her.
One good review can make a restaurant.
UsageHave it made means your success is sure.
Oppositebreak, ruin
Note
18
car brandnouncountable
The company or brand that produced something, especially a car.
What make of car do you drive?
This shop sells bikes of many different makes.
UsageSay make and model: Ford is the make.
Similarbrand, marque
Note
19
verbtransitive
To understand or judge something, in what do you make of it?
She read the letter twice but could make nothing of it.
What do you make of the new manager?
UsageYou can also say I don't know what to make of it when something puzzles you.
Note
20
enact (law)verbtransitive
To pass a law or set up a rule.
Congress shall make no law respecting religion.
The council made new rules for parking.
Similarenact, pass, establish, set
Oppositerepeal
21
pay (bill)verbtransitive
To be able to pay a bill or cost, often after 'can't'.
After losing his job, he couldn't make his car payments.
Some months they couldn't make payroll.
Similarpay, cover, meet
Oppositemiss
22
sleep withverbtransitive
To have sex with someone, or to seduce them.
The only thing she wants to make is you!
1979, Mark Tuttle, “The Loan Shark”
He could see that her face was thin, proud. She looked like she'd be a hard dame to make. He didn't want just that. She'd be a hard dame to win.
1934, James T. Farrell, The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan
Similarbed, seduce, mount, penetrate, take
Note
23
style of buildnoununcountable
The way something is made, its style or build.
The table is of solid make and should last for years.
The coat was of good make and lasted years.
Similarconstruction, workmanship, build, style
24
act likeverbcolloquialintransitive
To do things or behave in a certain way.
He made as if to punch him, then laughed.
They had to make nice after the fight.
UsageSay make like you're asleep: pretend.
Similaract, behave
25
verbslangUStransitive
In police and crime slang, to see someone or something and know who or what it is.
Stay back in the crowd so the thief doesn't make you.
The cop was in plain clothes, but the dealer made him right away.
UsageAlso used in forms like I've been made and we've been made.
Similarrecognize, identify, notice, spot, clock
Note
26
noun
A computer program that builds software from its source files.
27
verbslang
To accept someone as a full member of the Mafia, or of a similar gang.
28
verbcolloquial
To go to the toilet.
29
verbobsolete
To write poems.
30
verb
To attract enough students, viewers or readers to be worth starting or keeping going.
31
verbobsolete
To get involved in something, as in "meddle or make".
a scurvy, jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make
c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”
32
verbobsolete
To get bigger in amount.
33
verbobsolete
To take part in something.
Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole brotherhood of city bailiffs?
1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar
34
verbarchaic
Used in questions like "What makes you here?" to ask why someone is there.
Footman. Madam! Mr. Dorimant! Lov. What makes him here?
1676, George Etherege, A Man of Mode
35
verb
To be the first person to have sex with someone.
36
verb
Of the sea, to come in and get higher.
37
verb
To put two or more of your pieces on one backgammon space so they cannot be taken.
38
noun
The place or maker a thing comes from, or the making of it, as in 'Swiss make'.
39
noun
What kind of person someone is.
40
noundated
The work of producing things in a factory.
41
noun
How much of something is produced.
42
nounslang
Working out who a person is or what a thing is, often from police files or clues.
43
nounslang
Getting a higher job or rank.
44
noun
Something you make at home, often shown on TV.
45
noun
A player's turn to pick trumps or shuffle the cards in a card game.
46
noun
A basketball shot that goes in.
47
noun
When an electric circuit is closed so power can flow.
48
nounslang
Someone a person wants to sleep with or has slept with.
49
noundialectalUK
A mate or partner, a companion, or someone who is another's equal.
50
nounarchaicIrelandNorthern EnglandScotland
An old British coin worth half a penny.
the last we shall have, I take it; for a make to a million, but we trine to the nubbing cheat to-morrow.
1826, Sir Walter Scott, Woodstock
51
nounobsoleteEast AngliaEssex
A farm tool with a curved blade, used for cutting peas or reeds.
Harvest.—When left for seed, they are cut and wadded as pease, with a make. Produce.—From three to six sacks an acre.
1797, Arthur Young, General View of the Agriculture of the County of Suffolk

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of make apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English macian, meaning to make or build. It may go back to an ancient root meaning to knead.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Make comes from Old English macian, meaning to make or build. en.wiktionary.org
Make may ultimately derive from an ancient root meaning to knead. en.wiktionary.org