What does "create" mean?
To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:)
Create
/kɹiːˈeɪt/ adj, verb, slang
adj, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:)
- Grammar: create is listed as adj, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: make, produce, cause, generate.
- Useful contrasts: unestablished plan, more copying ethics, ape.
- Usage evidence: Can we create something out of nothing?
How to use "create"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "create" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "create" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "create" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "create" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "create" is acting as adj, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "make" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "create", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:) transitive
"You can create the color orange by mixing yellow and red."
- 2 make or cause to be or to become wordnet
- 3 To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:); To bring into existence out of nothing, without the prior existence of the materials or elements used. especially, transitive
"In the beginning God created yᵉ heauen and the earth. And the earth was without forme & voyde, and darkenes was vpon the depe, & the Spirit of God moued vpon the waters."
- 4 create or manufacture a man-made product wordnet
- 5 To bring into existence; (sometimes in particular:); To make or produce from other (e.g. raw, unrefined or scattered) materials or combinable elements or ideas; to design or invest with a new form, shape, function, etc. transitive
"Couturiers create exclusive garments for an affluent clientele."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 create by artistic means wordnet
- 7 To cause, to bring (a non-object) about by an action, behavior, or event, to occasion. transitive
"crop failures created food shortages and high prices; his stubbornness created many difficulties"
- 8 pursue a creative activity; be engaged in a creative activity wordnet
- 9 To confer or invest with a rank or title of nobility, to appoint, ordain or constitute. transitive
"Henry VIII created him a Duke. Last month, the queen created two barons."
- 10 bring into existence wordnet
- 11 To be or do something creative, imaginative, originative. intransitive
"Children usually enjoy creating, never mind if it is of any use!"
- 12 invest with a new title, office, or rank wordnet
- 13 In theatre, to be the first performer of a role; to originate a character. transitive
- 14 To make a fuss, complain; to shout. UK, colloquial, intransitive
"'What's the time?' she said. 'I must fly. Miss'll start creating.'"
Adjective
- 1 Created, resulting from creation. obsolete
"Hearts create of duty and zeal."
Example
"Can we create something out of nothing?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "create"?
Common synonyms include: make, produce, cause, generate, affixes, affords.
How do you use "create" in a sentence?
Can we create something out of nothing?
How do you pronounce "create"?
Pronounced /kɹiːˈeɪt/.
Etymology
From Middle English createn, from Latin creātus, the perfect passive participle of creō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). In this sense, mostly displaced Old English wyrċan (whence Modern English work) and ġesċieppan (whence Modern English shape).