Make

/meɪk/ noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Brand; marque; manufacturer; maker.
  • Grammar: make is listed as noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: brand, abide by, abscond, accomplish.
  • Useful contrasts: delay, destroy, deter.
  • Usage evidence: It's no use pretending to make me believe that I believe things you don't believe!

How to use "make"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "make" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. 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 "make" 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 "make" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "make" 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 "make" is acting as noun, 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 "brand" 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 "make", 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

Noun
  1. 1
    Brand; marque; manufacturer; maker.

    "Near-synonyms: kind, type"

  2. 2
    Past, present, or future target of seduction (usually female). slang

    "To me, if I weren't going with someone and was taking pills, it would be like advertising that I'm an easy make."

  3. 3
    A halfpenny. Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland, archaic

    "the last we shall have, I take it; for a make to a million, but we trine to the nubbing cheat to-morrow."

  4. 4
    An agricultural tool resembling a scythe, used to cut (harvest) certain plants such as peas, reeds, or tares. East-Anglia, Essex, obsolete

    "Harvest.—When left for seed, they are cut and wadded as pease, with a make. Produce.—From three to six sacks an acre."

  5. 5
    the act of mixing cards haphazardly wordnet
Show 14 more definitions
  1. 6
    Manner or style of construction (style of how a thing is made).

    "Near-synonyms: makeup, form, conformation, composition; form factor"

  2. 7
    Mate; a spouse or companion; a match. UK, dialectal

    "Th'Elfe therewith astownd, Vpstarted lightly from his looser make, And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take."

  3. 8
    a recognizable kind wordnet
  4. 9
    Origin (of a manufactured article); manufacture; production.

    "The cane was undoubtedly of foreign make, for it had a solid silver ferrule at one end, which was not English hall–marked."

  5. 10
    A person's character or disposition.

    "I never feel very much excited about any old thing; it's not my make; but I've got a sort of shiver inside of me, and a watery feeling in the heart region."

  6. 11
    The act or process of making something, especially in industrial manufacturing. dated

    "[…] papers are respectively of second or inferior quality, the last being perhaps torn or broken in the "make" — as the manufacture is technically termed."

  7. 12
    Quantity produced, especially of materials. uncountable

    "In 1880 the make of pig iron in all countries was 18,300,000 tons."

  8. 13
    A software utility for automatically building large applications, or an implementation of this utility.

    "However, the unzip and make programs weren't found, so the default was left blank."

  9. 14
    Identification: recognition (of identity), especially from police records or evidence. slang

    ""They ever get a make on the blood type?" Horn asked, staring at the stained mattress."

  10. 15
    A promotion. slang

    "Sent back the list of makes with only Post and Hamilton on it. (Buckner had recommended 10 staff officers and 1 combat soldier!)"

  11. 16
    A homemade project, particularly one demonstrated on television.

    "Blue Peter "make""

  12. 17
    Turn to declare the trump for a hand (in bridge), or to shuffle the cards.

    "It's your make as the cards lie. Take your time."

  13. 18
    A made basket.
  14. 19
    The closing of an electrical circuit.

    "If the interrupter operated every 2 sec., the current would rise to 10 amp. and drop to zero with successive "makes" and "breaks.""

Verb
  1. 1
    To create.; To build, construct, produce, or originate. transitive

    "We made a bird feeder for our yard."

  2. 2
    act in a certain way so as to acquire wordnet
  3. 3
    To create.; To write or compose. transitive

    "I made a poem for her wedding."

  4. 4
    eliminate urine wordnet
  5. 5
    To create.; To bring about; to effect or produce by means of some action. transitive

    "make war"

Show 85 more definitions
  1. 6
    have a bowel movement wordnet
  2. 7
    To create.; To create (the universe), especially (in Christianity) from nothing. transitive

    "God made earth and heaven."

  3. 8
    behave in a certain manner wordnet
  4. 9
    To create.; To prepare (food); to cook (food). transitive

    "I'm making cereal for breakfast. Who wants some?"

  5. 10
    give certain properties to something wordnet
  6. 11
    To behave, to act. colloquial, intransitive

    "To make like a deer caught in the headlights."

  7. 12
    put in order or neaten wordnet
  8. 13
    To tend; to contribute; to have effect; with for or against. intransitive

    "And all Israel's language about this power, except that it makes for righteousness, is approximate language"

  9. 14
    develop into wordnet
  10. 15
    To constitute.

    "They make a cute couple."

  11. 16
    change from one form into another wordnet
  12. 17
    To add up to, have a sum of. transitive

    "Two and four make six."

  13. 18
    favor the development of wordnet
  14. 19
    To interpret. transitive

    "I don’t know what to make of it."

  15. 20
    cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable wordnet
  16. 21
    To bring into success. stressed, transitive, usually

    "This company is what made you."

  17. 22
    institute, enact, or establish wordnet
  18. 23
    To cause to be. ditransitive

    "The blisters on my foot made it a problem to walk without a cane."

  19. 24
    calculate as being wordnet
  20. 25
    To cause to appear to be; to represent as.

    "Homer makes Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus, unlike Hesiod who depicted her as born from the sea foam."

  21. 26
    consider as being wordnet
  22. 27
    To cause (to do something); to compel (to do something). ditransitive

    "You're making her cry."

  23. 28
    make, formulate, or derive in the mind wordnet
  24. 29
    To force to do. ditransitive

    "The teacher made the student study harder."

  25. 30
    cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner wordnet
  26. 31
    To indicate or suggest to be. ditransitive

    "His past mistakes don’t make him a bad person."

  27. 32
    represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like wordnet
  28. 33
    To cover neatly with bedclothes. transitive
  29. 34
    assure the success of wordnet
  30. 35
    To recognise, identify, spot. US, slang, transitive

    "I caught sight of him two or three times and then made him turning north into Laurel Canyon Drive."

  31. 36
    induce to have sex wordnet
  32. 37
    To arrive at a destination, usually at or by a certain time. colloquial, transitive

    "We should make Cincinnati by 7 tonight."

  33. 38
    make or cause to be or to become wordnet
  34. 39
    To proceed (in a direction). colloquial, intransitive

    "They made westward over the snowy mountains."

  35. 40
    create or design, often in a certain way wordnet
  36. 41
    To cover (a given distance) by travelling. transitive

    "I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding."

  37. 42
    create or manufacture a man-made product wordnet
  38. 43
    To move at (a speed). transitive

    "The ship could make 20 knots an hour in calm seas."

  39. 44
    create by artistic means wordnet
  40. 45
    To appoint; to name.

    "On November 15, 1396,[…]Benedict XIII made him bishop of Noyon;"

  41. 46
    give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally wordnet
  42. 47
    To induct into the Mafia or a similar organization (as a made man). slang, transitive

    "Jimmy Conway: They're gonna make him. Henry Hill: Paulie's gonna make you?"

  43. 48
    compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way wordnet
  44. 49
    To defecate or urinate. colloquial, euphemistic, intransitive

    "When my father comes back with a dark wet spot on his pants, right in front, as if he has made in his pants, he starts eating his food in great shovelfuls."

  45. 50
    make by shaping or bringing together constituents wordnet
  46. 51
    To earn, to gain (money, points, membership or status). transitive

    "They hope to make a bigger profit."

  47. 52
    make by combining materials and parts wordnet
  48. 53
    To pay, to cover (an expense); chiefly used after expressions of inability. transitive

    "Whether, […], the construction of additional roads […] would present a case in which the exaction of prohibitory or otherwise onerous rates may be prevented, though it result in an impossibility for some or all of the roads to make expenses, we need not say; no such case is before us."

  49. 54
    prepare for eating by applying heat wordnet
  50. 55
    To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify. intransitive, obsolete

    "ca.1360-1387, William Langland, Piers Plowman to solace him some time, as I do when I make"

  51. 56
    organize or be responsible for wordnet
  52. 57
    To enact; to establish.

    "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

  53. 58
    gather and light the materials for wordnet
  54. 59
    To develop into; to prove to be.

    "She'll make a fine president."

  55. 60
    perform, produce, or carry out wordnet
  56. 61
    To form or formulate in the mind.

    "make plans"

  57. 62
    reach in time wordnet
  58. 63
    To perform a feat.

    "make a leap"

  59. 64
    reach a destination, either real or abstract wordnet
  60. 65
    To gain sufficient audience to warrant its existence. intransitive

    "In the end, my class didn't make, which left me with a bit of free time."

  61. 66
    reach a goal wordnet
  62. 67
    To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; often in the phrase to meddle or make. obsolete

    "a scurvy, jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make"

  63. 68
    proceed along a path wordnet
  64. 69
    To increase; to augment; to accrue. obsolete
  65. 70
    head into a specified direction wordnet
  66. 71
    To be engaged or concerned in. obsolete

    "Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole brotherhood of city bailiffs?"

  67. 72
    appear to begin an activity wordnet
  68. 73
    To cause to be (in a specified place), used after a subjective what. archaic

    "Footman. Madam! Mr. Dorimant! Lov. What makes him here?"

  69. 74
    earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages wordnet
  70. 75
    To take the virginity of. euphemistic, transitive

    "I was a young un at 'Oogli, Shy as a girl to begin; Aggie de Castrer she made me, — An' Aggie was clever as sin; Older than me, but my first un — More like a mother she were Showed me the way to promotion an' pay, An' I learned about women from 'er!"

  71. 76
    achieve a point or goal wordnet
  72. 77
    To have sexual intercourse with. transitive

    "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."

  73. 78
    charge with a function; charge to be wordnet
  74. 79
    Of water, to flow toward land; to rise. intransitive

    "The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for us was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide."

  75. 80
    engage in wordnet
  76. 81
    To establish two or more men on (a point) so that it cannot be captured. transitive
  77. 82
    carry out or commit wordnet
  78. 83
    form by assembling individuals or constituents wordnet
  79. 84
    constitute the essence of wordnet
  80. 85
    to compose or represent wordnet
  81. 86
    amount to wordnet
  82. 87
    be or be capable of being changed or made into wordnet
  83. 88
    add up to wordnet
  84. 89
    be suitable for wordnet
  85. 90
    undergo fabrication or creation wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
brandabide byabscondaccomplishachieveacquire

Example

"It's no use pretending to make me believe that I believe things you don't believe!"

Common questions

What does "make" mean?

Brand; marque; manufacturer; maker.

What is a synonym for "make"?

Common synonyms include: brand, abide by, abscond, accomplish, achieve, acquire.

How do you use "make" in a sentence?

It's no use pretending to make me believe that I believe things you don't believe!

How do you pronounce "make"?

Pronounced /meɪk/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English maken, from Old English macian (“to make, build, work”), from Proto-West Germanic *makōn (“to make, build, work”), from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂ǵ- (“to knead, mix, make”). Related to match. Cognates * Scots mak (“to make”) * Saterland Frisian moakje (“to make”) * West Frisian meitsje (“to make”) * Dutch maken (“to make”) * Dutch Low Saxon maken (“to make”) * German Low German maken (“to make”) * German machen (“to make, do”) * Danish mage (“to make, arrange (in a certain way)”) * Latin mācerō, macer * Ancient Greek μάσσω (mássō)

Etymology 2

From Middle English make, imake, ȝemace, from Old English ġemaca (“a mate, an equal, companion, peer”), from Proto-West Germanic *gamakō, from Proto-Germanic *gamakô (“companion, comrade”), from Proto-Indo-European *maǵ- (“to knead, oil”). Reinforced by Old Norse maki (“an equal”). Cognate with Icelandic maki (“spouse”), Swedish make (“spouse, husband”), Danish mage (“companion, fellow, mate”). Doublet of match.

Etymology 3

Uncertain.

Etymology 4

Origin unclear.

More for "make"

Synonyms

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