make

makeverb

Make means cause something to exist, to happen, or to be a certain way, and many common actions are expressed with make and a noun.

1. produce or buildproduce something that did not exist before, for example by putting parts together, by cooking, or by writing

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + two objects [V + obj + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • Mari made a cake for the party. V + obj
   • Sam made us all a cup of tea. V + obj + obj
   • The table is made of solid wood. (passive, with of)
   • Yuki makes short films about city life. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun make dinner, make coffee, make a cake, make a dress, make a film, make a list

   verb + preposition made of, made from, made out of, made by, made in

   Synonyms create; produce; build (build is for houses, walls, and other large structures); manufacture (manufacture is for factory production in large numbers)

   Antonyms destroy

   Compare cause

   1. acause something such as a mark, a hole, a sound, or a mess to appear

      transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

      • Try not to make a mess in the kitchen. V + obj
      • The children were making a lot of noise upstairs. V + obj
      • The nail made a small hole in the wall. V + obj

      Collocations

      verb + noun make a noise, make a mess, make a hole, make a mark, make a sound

   For translators (sense 1)

   Meaning across languages English uses make alike for cooking food, building things, and producing works of art. Many languages prefer a specific verb for each, such as cook, build, or write; those verbs exist in English too, but the general word is always acceptable.

   Grammar trap The person who receives what is made can come before it as a second object: make me a sandwich, the same as make a sandwich for me. Many languages need a preposition or a different word order here.

2. do an actionperform the action that the following noun names, for example a decision, a mistake, a promise, or a telephone call

   Make carries little meaning of its own here; the noun carries it. Which nouns take make and which take do has to be learned one by one: you make a decision but do your homework.

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + two objects [V + obj + obj]

   • We need to make a decision by Friday. V + obj
   • Everyone makes mistakes when they are learning something new. V + obj
   • They made us a very good offer for the house. V + obj + obj
   • Can I make a suggestion? V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun make a decision, make a mistake, make an effort, make a phone call, make a promise, make progress

   phrase make a difference, make friends with someone, make room for something, make time for something, make an exception

   Compare do (do is for tasks and activities: do the dishes, do some work, do your homework); take (take a photo, take a shower, take a test); have (have a party, have a meal, have a rest)

   For translators (sense 2)

   Meaning across languages Many languages use one verb where English chooses between make and do, or use a different light verb, such as give, take, or have, with the same noun. Learn each noun with its verb: make a decision, do the dishes, take a photo, have a party.

3. cause to because someone or something to be in a certain state, or to become a certain thing

   transitive [T] verb + object + adjective [V + obj + adj] verb + object + noun complement [V + obj + noun] verb + object + past participle [V + obj + past participle]

   • The long walk made everyone hungry. V + obj + adj
   • Loud music makes it hard to think. V + obj + adj (it stands for the phrase that follows)
   • The club made Ana its new leader. V + obj + noun
   • Speak slowly so that you make yourself understood. V + obj + past participle

   Collocations

   phrase make something clear, make something possible, make something worse, make someone happy, make someone angry, make it easy for someone to do something

   1. achange something so that it becomes something different

      transitive [T] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

      • They made the old barn into a house. V + obj + prep + obj (with into)
      • You could make this long dress into a skirt. V + obj + prep + obj

      Collocations

      phrase make something into something

   For translators (sense 3)

   Grammar trap The new state comes straight after the object with no linking word: make someone happy, not make someone to be happy or make someone as happy. With a phrase or clause as the object, it stands in first: make it clear that you disagree.

4. cause to doforce or cause someone to do something, or cause something to happen

   transitive [T] verb + object + bare infinitive [V + obj + inf]

   • My parents made me clean my room before I could go out. V + obj + inf
   • Onions always make me cry. V + obj + inf
   • What made you change your mind? V + obj + inf
   • We were made to wait outside in the cold. (passive: made to plus a verb)

   Collocations

   phrase make someone laugh, make someone cry, make someone feel better, make something happen, make something work, make someone think

   Synonyms force (force is stronger and takes to: force someone to do something)

   Compare let (let someone do something means allow, with the same bare infinitive); get (get someone to do something means persuade, and keeps to)

   For translators (sense 4)

   Grammar trap In the active, the verb after the object has no to: she made him wait. In the passive, to returns: he was made to wait. Many languages use a special causative form or a that-clause here; English never says make that someone does something.

5. earn moneyearn or gain money, especially by working or by doing business

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • How much do you make a month? V + obj
   • The store made a small profit this year. V + obj
   • Lee makes a living by fixing bicycles. V + obj
   • They made a lot of money when they sold the house. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun make money, make a profit, make a loss, make a living, make a fortune

   Synonyms earn (earn and make are both common in writing; make is the usual word for a business's profit or a stated wage)

   Antonyms lose (lose money)

6. add up tobe equal to a total when numbers or amounts are put together

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] not used in the passive [no passive] not used in continuous tenses [no continuous]

   • Three and four make seven. V + obj
   • With Omar, that makes eight people for dinner. (bringing a count up to a total)
   • That makes the third time you have been late this week.

   Synonyms equal

   1. acalculate or judge something to be a certain amount or time

      transitive [T] verb + object + noun complement [V + obj + noun] not used in the passive [no passive]

      • I make it just after nine. V + obj + noun (the time)
      • What do you make the total? V + obj + noun

7. be suitable ashave the qualities needed to be or to become a certain thing

   linking [L] verb + noun complement [V + noun] not used in the passive [no passive] not used in continuous tenses [no continuous]

   • Sara will make a wonderful doctor. V + noun
   • This little room would make a nice office. V + noun
   • You two would make a great team. V + noun

   For translators (sense 7)

   Grammar trap The noun after make here describes the subject, not an object: she will make a good teacher means she will be one. There is no passive and no continuous form.

8. arrive in timemanage to arrive at a place or to be present at an event, especially by a certain time

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] not used in the passive [no passive]

   • We ran and just made the last train. V + obj
   • Can you make the meeting on Thursday? V + obj
   • If we leave now, we should make the airport by six. V + obj
   • I have a lot to do, but I will try to make the deadline. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun make the train, make a flight, make a meeting, make a deadline

   Synonyms catch (catch a train or a bus); reach

   Antonyms miss

   1. amanage to get a place on a team or on a list, or to appear in the news

      transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

      • Kim made the school team this year. V + obj
      • The story made the front page of the local paper. V + obj
      • Only three of the songs made the final list. V + obj

      Collocations

      verb + noun make the team, make the news, make the headlines, make the front page, make the list

9. understand or judgeunderstand something in a certain way, or form an opinion about it

   transitive [T] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj] not used in the passive [no passive]

   • What do you make of the new manager? V + obj + prep + obj
   • I couldn't make anything of the map. V + obj + prep + obj (with a negative)
   • Nobody knew what to make of her silence.

   Collocations

   phrase what do you make of something, make nothing of something, not know what to make of something

   Compare understand

   For translators (sense 9)

   Grammar trap Always with of after the object, and the object is what, nothing, anything, much, or little: what do you make of it? It is used mostly in questions and negatives.