Phrase guide

make it

verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, going somewhere, attending an event, arriving in time for something, adding to one's schedule or itinerary, or in getting where one wants to be in one's life or career, which sometimes means becoming or wanting to become successful (succeed in a big way) or famous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He never made it to Italy despite talking about it all his life.
  • I can't make it to the concert; I have to work.
  • I'm not just going to make it; I'm going to make it big.
  • As long as we have each other, it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To succeed in surviving, in living through something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To have sexual intercourse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: do it, get it, approach, cohabit, common, company, copulate, couple, engage in sex, exchange flesh, have intimate relations, have marital relations, have sex, have sexual relations, intercourse, know, know someone in the biblical sense, make love, mate, share a bed, sleep together, strain, bang, bauf, beat, bone, boff, boink, bonk, bop, bounce, breed, bump nasties, bump uglies, catch a dick, clap cheeks, dance, discuss Uganda, dip one's pen in someone's inkwell, do the deed, do the nasty, eff, engender, expletive deleted, frack, frak, frick, frig, fuck, get busy, get down, get freaky, get it on, get jiggy, get laid, get lucky, get one's dick wet, get one's end away, get one's freak on, get one's groove on, get one's leg over, get one's oats, get physical, get some, get the dirty water off one's chest, graft the forked tree, go all the way, haul one's ashes, have it away, have it off, hide the salami, hide the sausage, hide the wienie, hike the Appalachian Trail, hook up, hump, jig-jig, knock boots, lay pipe, lay the pipe, make it, make out, make the beast with two backs, make whoopee, meddle, ming, Netflix and chill, penetrate, pipe, pipe down, play, play hide the sausage, pound, rail, ride, rock and roll, roger, roll around, root, screw, see someone's etchings, sex, shag, shaboink, shelve, show someone one's etchings, slap bellies, stick, tumble

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see make, it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

go successfully through a test or a selection process

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pass

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: succeed, win, come through, bring home the bacon, deliver the goods

Narrower terms: breeze through, ace, pass with flying colors, sweep through, sail through, nail

6

verb

Meaning 6

succeed in a big way; get to the top

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • After he published his book, he had arrived
  • I don't know whether I can make it in science!
  • You will go far, my boy!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arrive, get in, go far

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: succeed, win, come through, bring home the bacon, deliver the goods

7

verb

Meaning 7

continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He survived the cancer against all odds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: survive, pull through, pull round, come through

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: get the better of, overcome, defeat

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

63 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bashkir: өлгәшеү (ölgəşew) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Belarusian: паспява́ць (paspjavácʹ) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Belarusian: паспе́ць (paspjécʹ) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Chinese Mandarin: 來得及 /来得及 (láidejí) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Chinese Mandarin: 上岸 (shàng'àn) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Dutch: het halen — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Finnish: ehtiä — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Finnish: päästä — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • French: arriver à temps — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • French: réussir — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Georgian: ასწრებს (asc̣rebs) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Georgian: მოასწრებს (moasc̣rebs) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • German: es schaffen — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Hungarian: sikerül — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Hungarian: elér — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Hungarian: eljut — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Hungarian: bejut — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ingrian: ennettää — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ingrian: ehittää — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ingrian: ehtiä — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ingrian: keritä — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Italian: farcela — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Italian: raggiungere — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Italian: arrivare — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Japanese: 間に合う (maniau) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Polish: zdążać — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Polish: zdążyć — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Russian: успева́ть (uspevátʹ) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Russian: успе́ть (uspétʹ) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Serbo-Croatian: uspjeti — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Serbo-Croatian: uspijevati — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Spanish: lograrlo — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Spanish: llegar a tiempo — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Swedish: hinna — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Swedish: hinna fram i tid — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Swedish: klara det — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ukrainian: устига́ти (ustyháty) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ukrainian: усти́гнути (ustýhnuty) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ukrainian: усти́гти (ustýhty) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ukrainian: поспіва́ти (pospiváty) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Ukrainian: поспі́ти (pospíty) — to succeed in doing something, for example in reaching a place, or getting there on time
  • Bashkir: иҫән ҡалыу (iśən qalıw) — to survive, to live through something
  • Bashkir: һау ҡалыу (haw qalıw) — to survive, to live through something
  • Finnish: selvitä — to survive, to live through something
  • Finnish: selviytyä — to survive, to live through something
  • German: es schaffen — to survive, to live through something
  • Hungarian: életben marad — to survive, to live through something
  • Hungarian: túlél — to survive, to live through something
  • Hungarian: megmarad — to survive, to live through something
  • Hungarian: megúszik — to survive, to live through something
  • Italian: sopravvivere — to survive, to live through something
  • Russian: выжива́ть (vyživátʹ) — to survive, to live through something
  • Russian: вы́жить (výžitʹ) — to survive, to live through something
  • Swedish: klara sig — to survive, to live through something
  • Finnish: menestyä — to become famous and successful
  • German: es schaffen — to become famous and successful
  • Hungarian: sokra viszi — to become famous and successful
  • Italian: sfondare — to become famous and successful
  • Italian: affermarsi — to become famous and successful
  • Italian: spuntarla — to become famous and successful
  • Italian: farcela — to become famous and successful
  • Swedish: slå igenom — to become famous and successful
  • Italian: farsela — to have sexual intercourse