Phrase guide

make up

noun · verb · 28 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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  • /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Alternative form of makeup.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To constitute, to compose.

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 constitute, to compose.

To constitute the components of a whole.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compose, form, compound, comprise, constitute, indite, make up, represent, upmake

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To compensate, to fill in, to catch up.

To compensate for (a deficiency, defect, etc.); to supply (something missing).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He can make up the time next week.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To compensate, to fill in, to catch up.

To compensate (for).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • What I lack in patience, I make up for in drive.
  • I plan to make up for my failed midterm.
  • Cuba took limited free market-oriented measures to alleviate severe shortages of food, consumer goods, and services to make up for the ending of Soviet subsidies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To invent, to imagine, to concoct

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To invent, to imagine, to concoct

To invent or fabricate (a story, claim, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was a great storyteller and could make up a story on the spot.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To assemble, to prepare.

To compile or draw up (a list, document, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To assemble, to prepare.

To put together (a substance, material, garment, medicine, etc.) into a specific form; to assemble.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I can make up a batch of stew in a few minutes, but it will take a few hours to cook.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To assemble, to prepare.

To prepare (someone) for a theatrical performance by means of costume, cosmetics, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, reflexive, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To apply cosmetics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To apply cosmetics.

To apply cosmetics or makeup to (a face, facial feature).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, reflexive, transitive

Examples

  • Let's leave as soon as I make up my face.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cosmeticize, fard

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To make peace, to settle a dispute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To make peace, to settle a dispute.

To resolve or settle an argument, dispute, conflict, or fight (e.g., with someone).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

Examples

  • They fight a lot, but they always manage to make up.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: make peace

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

To arrange, to advance.

To arrange (a marriage); to organise (a treaty).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

To arrange, to advance.

To draw near to, approach to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To arrange, to advance.

To make social or romantic advances to; to pay court to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

To build, to complete.

To build, construct (a tower, city, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

verb

Meaning 19

To build, to complete.

To build up (a bank, wall, etc.) where it has fallen away; to repair.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

20

verb

Meaning 20

apply make-up or cosmetics to one's face to appear prettier

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She makes herself up every morning

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: groom, neaten

Narrower terms: highlight, lipstick, rouge, powder

21

verb

Meaning 21

put in order or neaten

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • make the bed
  • make up a room

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: make

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tidy, tidy up, clean up, neaten, straighten, straighten out, square away

22

verb

Meaning 22

come to terms

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • After some discussion we finally made up

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: reconcile, patch up, conciliate, settle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: agree, hold, concur, concord

Narrower terms: propitiate, appease, make peace

23

verb

Meaning 23

make up something artificial or untrue

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fabricate, manufacture, cook up, invent

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: think up, think of, dream up, hatch, concoct

Narrower terms: mythologize, mythologise, confabulate, trump up, concoct, spin, vamp, vamp up

24

verb

Meaning 24

devise or compose

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This designer makes up our Spring collections

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: design

25

verb

Meaning 25

do or give something to somebody in return

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Does she pay you for the work you are doing?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pay, pay off, compensate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: settle

26

verb

Meaning 26

make up work that was missed due to absence at a later point

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I have to make up a French exam
  • Can I catch up with the material or is it too late?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: catch up with

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: recover, recoup, recuperate

27

verb

Meaning 27

form or compose

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This money is my only income
  • The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance
  • These constitute my entire belonging
  • The children made up the chorus
  • This sum represents my entire income for a year
  • These few men comprise his entire army

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: constitute, represent, comprise, be

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: make, compose, form, constitute, range, straddle, fall into, fall under, present, pose, supplement

28

verb

Meaning 28

adjust for

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • engineers will work to correct the effects or air resistance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compensate, counterbalance, correct, even out, even off, even up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: balance, equilibrate, equilibrize, equilibrise

Narrower terms: carry, cover, compensate, overcompensate

History

Etymology

From Middle English maken up, equivalent to make + up (adverb).

Across languages

Translations

169 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: təşkil etmək — to constitute, to compose
  • Bulgarian: съставям (sǎstavjam) — to constitute, to compose
  • Catalan: constituir — to constitute, to compose
  • Chinese Mandarin: 組成 /组成 (zǔchéng) — to constitute, to compose
  • Esperanto: konsistigi — to constitute, to compose
  • Finnish: muodostaa — to constitute, to compose
  • French: constituer — to constitute, to compose
  • French: composer — to constitute, to compose
  • Georgian: შედგენა (šedgena) — to constitute, to compose
  • Hungarian: alkot — to constitute, to compose
  • Hungarian: kitesz — to constitute, to compose
  • Ido: kompletigar — to constitute, to compose
  • Irish: déan suas — to constitute, to compose
  • Italian: comporsi — to constitute, to compose
  • Latin: tueor — to constitute, to compose
  • Norwegian Bokmål: utgjøre — to constitute, to compose
  • Persian: تشکیل دادن (taškil dâdan) — to constitute, to compose
  • Russian: составля́ть (sostavljátʹ) — to constitute, to compose
  • Russian: соста́вить (sostávitʹ) — to constitute, to compose
  • Tagalog: gawa — to constitute, to compose
  • Ukrainian: склада́ти (skladáty) — to constitute, to compose
  • Bulgarian: компенсирам (kompensiram) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Catalan: compensar — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Chinese Mandarin: 補上 /补上 (bǔshàng) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Esperanto: kompensi — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Finnish: korvata — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Finnish: hyvittää — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • French: compenser — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • French: rattraper — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • German: wiedergutmachen — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • German: kompensieren — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • German: gutmachen — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • German: ausgleichen — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • German: aufholen — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Hungarian: bepótol — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Hungarian: pótol — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Hungarian: behoz — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Irish: folíon — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Italian: recuperare — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Latin: compensō — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Māori: whakapū — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Persian: جبران کردن (jobrân kardan) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Portuguese: compensar — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Russian: компенси́ровать (kompensírovatʹ) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Russian: возмеща́ть (vozmeščátʹ) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Russian: возмести́ть (vozmestítʹ) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Russian: навёрстывать (navjórstyvatʹ) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Russian: наверста́ть (naverstátʹ) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Spanish: reponer — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Spanish: suplir — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Tagalog: mag-ayos — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Tagalog: maghabol — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Ukrainian: компенсува́ти (kompensuváty) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Ukrainian: відшкодо́вувати (vidškodóvuvaty) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Ukrainian: надолу́жувати (nadolúžuvaty) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Ukrainian: надолу́жити (nadolúžyty) — to compensate, to fill in, to catch up
  • Armenian: հորինել (horinel) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Azerbaijani: uydurmaq — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Basque: asmatu — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Bulgarian: измислям (izmisljam) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Catalan: inventar — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Chinese Mandarin: 編出 /编出 (biānchū) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Dutch: verzinnen — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Dutch: bedenken — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Finnish: keksiä — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Finnish: sepittää — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • French: inventer — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • French: controuver — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Georgian: მოგონება (mogoneba) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • German: erfinden — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • German: ausdenken — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Hungarian: kitalál — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Hungarian: kieszel — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Hungarian: kiötöl — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Hungarian: kiagyal — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ingrian: duumata — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Irish: déan suas — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: improvvisare — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: rimediare — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: fabbricare — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: mettere su — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: tirare fuori — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: inventare — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Italian: immaginarsi — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Norwegian: finne på — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Old English: āþenċan — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Polish: wymyślić — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Portuguese: inventar — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Romanian: inventa — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Romanian: imagina — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Romanian: născoci — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Russian: приду́мывать (pridúmyvatʹ) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Russian: приду́мать (pridúmatʹ) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Serbo-Croatian: izmisliti — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Spanish: sacarse de la manga — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Tagalog: mag-imbento — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Thai: กุ (gù) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Thai: กุเรื่อง — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Turkish: uydurmak — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ottoman Turkish: دوزمك (düzmek) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: вига́дувати (vyháduvaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: ви́гадати (výhadaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: виду́мувати (vydúmuvaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: ви́думати (výdumaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: приду́мувати (prydúmuvaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Ukrainian: приду́мати (prydúmaty) — to invent, to imagine, to concoct
  • Bulgarian: комплектувам (komplektuvam) — to assemble, to prepare
  • Catalan: assemblar — to assemble, to prepare
  • Chinese Mandarin: 製成 /制成 (zhìchéng) — to assemble, to prepare
  • Finnish: valmistaa — to assemble, to prepare
  • German: zusammenstellen — to assemble, to prepare
  • German: zusammenbauen — to assemble, to prepare
  • German: zusammensetzen — to assemble, to prepare
  • Hungarian: összeállít — to assemble, to prepare
  • Hungarian: elkészít — to assemble, to prepare
  • Hungarian: összerak — to assemble, to prepare
  • Russian: собира́ть (sobirátʹ) — to assemble, to prepare
  • Russian: собра́ть (sobrátʹ) — to assemble, to prepare
  • Tagalog: gawa — to assemble, to prepare
  • Afrikaans: grimeer — to apply cosmetics
  • Basque: makillatu — to apply cosmetics
  • Bulgarian: гримирам (grimiram) — to apply cosmetics
  • Catalan: maquillar — to apply cosmetics
  • Catalan: maquillar-se — to apply cosmetics
  • Chinese Mandarin: 上妝 /上妆 (shàngzhuāng) — to apply cosmetics
  • Finnish: meikata — to apply cosmetics
  • Finnish: ehostaa — to apply cosmetics
  • French: maquiller — to apply cosmetics
  • French: se maquiller — to apply cosmetics
  • German: schminken — to apply cosmetics
  • Hungarian: sminkel — to apply cosmetics
  • Hungarian: kifest — to apply cosmetics
  • Italian: truccarsi — to apply cosmetics
  • Māori: whakapaipai — to apply cosmetics
  • Māori: whakanako — to apply cosmetics
  • Portuguese: maquiar — to apply cosmetics
  • Portuguese: maquilhar — to apply cosmetics
  • Romanian: machia — to apply cosmetics
  • Russian: кра́ситься (krásitʹsja) — to apply cosmetics
  • Serbo-Croatian: шми̑нкати — to apply cosmetics
  • Serbo-Croatian: šmȋnkati — to apply cosmetics
  • Slovene: ličiti — to apply cosmetics
  • Slovene: naličiti — to apply cosmetics
  • Spanish: maquillar — to apply cosmetics
  • Spanish: maquillarse — to apply cosmetics
  • Swedish: sminka — to apply cosmetics
  • Tagalog: mag-ayos — to apply cosmetics
  • Turkish: makyaj yapmak — to apply cosmetics
  • Vietnamese: trang điểm — to apply cosmetics
  • Catalan: fer les paus — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Catalan: reconciliar-se — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Chinese Mandarin: 和解 (héjiě) — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Finnish: sopia — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Finnish: tehdä sovinto — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • French: se réconcilier — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • German: sich versöhnen — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • German: sich aussöhnen — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Hungarian: kibékül — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Italian: conciliarsi — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Italian: fare pace — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Polish: pogodzić się — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Portuguese: resolver — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Portuguese: fazer as pazes — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Russian: мири́ться (mirítʹsja) — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Russian: помири́ться (pomirítʹsja) — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Spanish: reconciliarse — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • Tagalog: magbati — to make peace, to settle a dispute
  • French: arranger — to arrange, to advance
  • French: réparer — to build, to complete