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make

A1
Very common

Pronunciation

UK

  • /mˈeɪk/

US

  • /ˈmeɪk/

Meanings

Verb

  1. to create, build, produce, or prepare something

  2. to cause or compel someone or something to do, feel, or become something

  3. to earn or bring in money

More meanings
  1. to add up to, amount to, or constitute a total

Noun

  1. a commercial brand or manufacturer of a product, especially a vehicle

Beyond the definition

"Make" may look simple, but it does a lot of work in English. We use it when something is created or produced, like "make a cake" or "make a plan." It also means to cause a result, as in "make someone laugh" or "make a mess." In many everyday situations, it carries the idea of bringing something into being through action, effort, or choice.

It also shows up in many common phrases, such as "make up your mind," "make a difference," and "make sure." That is one reason this small, everyday word appears so often.

Examples

  1. 1

    Baking

    She made a cake for her brother's birthday.

  2. 2

    Drinks

    I'll make some coffee while you set the table.

  3. 3

    Household chore

    Can you make the bed before you leave?

  4. 4

    Decision making

    We need to make a decision by Friday.

More examples
  1. 5

    Noise

    The children made a lot of noise upstairs.

  2. 6

    Causing action

    His joke made everyone laugh.

    • Patternmake someone do something

      cause someone to do it

  3. 7

    Causing change

    This rain makes the roads dangerous.

    • Patternmake someone/something + adjective

      cause them or it to become that way

  4. 8

    Checking certainty

    Make sure the door is locked.

    • Phrasemake sure

      check or do what is needed so something is certain

  5. 9

    Clear explanation

    That explanation doesn't make sense to me.

    • Phrasemake sense

      be clear or logical

  6. 10

    Attendance

    I can't make it to the meeting today.

    • Patternmake it to + place/event

      arrive at or attend

  7. 11

    Suitable role

    She made a good teacher because she was patient and clear.

    • Patternmake a good/bad + role

      be suitable for that role

  8. 12

    Inventing

    They made up a story about getting lost.

    • Phrasemake up

      invent

  9. 13

    Group composition

    Women make up more than half of the team.

    • Phrasemake up

      form or be part of a whole

  10. 14

    Reconciliation

    After the argument, they made up the next day.

    • Phrasemake up

      become friendly again after a disagreement

  11. 15

    Managing without

    We forgot plates, so we had to make do with napkins.

    • Phrasemake do with

      manage using what is available

See also

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Do not confuse

Used with (collocations)

  • make a cake
  • make a plan
  • make something from scratch
  • make something by hand

Word family

Explore

Forms and spellings

4 forms open this card.

Main spelling

  • makenounverb

Forms

  • madepast tensepast participleverbnoun
  • making-ing formverbnoun
  • makespluralnounverb