making

noun

mak·​ing ˈmā-kiŋ 

1

: the act or process of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being

spots problems in the making

2

: a process or means of advancement or success

3

: something made

especially : a quantity produced at one time : batch

4

a

: potentiality

—often used in plural

had the makings of a great artist

b

makings ˈmā-kənz 

ˈmā-kiŋz

plural : the material from which something is to be made

especially \ usually  ˈmā-​kənz \ : paper and tobacco for rolling cigarettes by hand

Synonyms of making

• potential
• material
• potentiality

Examples of making in a Sentence

methods used in the making of wine

she has all the makings of an excellent leader, but she needs some experience first

Recent Examples on the Web

Here the most enthusiastic customers often came not from primitive fossil capital but from fossil capital in general—companies not producing but consuming fossil fuels in the process of money-making and wishing, for whatever reason, to even them out with credits. —Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025

Besides, this is college football, where governors insert themselves into the decision making. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025

Swept up in the cinema-making of Italy’s auteurs, Nicholas finds himself on the sets of Fellini’s Casanova and Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, a harrowing film about the death throes and reincarnations of fascism made just before the director’s murder. —Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025

Nouvelle Vague is a fairly straightforward making-of story—funny, considering how form-breaking Breathless was. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English macung, from macian to make

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing making

• decision-making
• epoch-making
• history in the making
• hit-making
• in the making
• making a comeback
• making all the right noises
• making (a lot of) noise
• making noise
• making noises
• making soothing/reassuring noises
• non-profit-making
• not making much sense
• of one's own making
• policy-making
• slave-making ant
• the making of

Rhymes for making

• aching
• baking
• braking
• breaking
• caking
• faking
• flaking
• quaking
• raking
• shaking
• slaking
• snaking

Kids Definition

making

noun

mak·​ing

ˈmā-kiŋ

1

: the act of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being

spots problems in the making

2

: a process or means of advancement or success

3

: material from which something can be developed : potentiality

there is the making of a racehorse in this colt

—often used in plural

has the makings of a great quarterback

4

plural : the materials from which something can be made