Tom is only a makeweight here.
Source: tatoeba (10471457)
Makeweight
Synonyms for "makeweight" (27 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (6)
Strong matches (8)
Related words (13)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: filler, adjustment weight, augment, balance, balancing weight.
- Sentence evidence is available for makeweight, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "makeweight".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "makeweight"
Keep "makeweight" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "makeweight" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "makeweight", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "makeweight" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
10 entriescontent augmentationmassobjectparticipantpersonnelphysical objectweighing operationweightweight adjustmentweighting practice
More specific
10 entriesaugmentationbalancing weightballastingboxing allowancecalibration weightcounterweightingpaddingracing weighttemporary recruittoken appointment
Collocations
12 entriesballast blockballast stonesballast watercalibration weightcounterweightingmakeweight ballastmakeweight candidatemakeweight clausemakeweight itemplaceholder makeweighttemporary makeweightweight adjustment
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
1893, Richard Le Gallienne, in a publisher's report on stories by Ernest Dowson, quoted in Jad Adams, Madder Music, Stronger Wine, page 88. I would advise you to accept these as an instalment of a volume, (they are not big enough to make one themselves) with the promise that the stories to come should be more striking, more original in theme — not less so, not mere makeweights — than those under consideration.
Source: wiktionary
He added a long litany of peripheral precedents which the judge dismissed as mere makeweights.
Source: wiktionary
Other railway schemes of the earliest period certainly mentioned benefits to agriculture, but only as a make-weight; most of them justified themselves by improved transport of minerals for shipment, […], or by carriage of bulk loads of manufactured goods.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "makeweight"?
Closest matches include filler, adjustment weight, augment, balance, balancing weight.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "makeweight"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.