make a difference
idiom
1
: to cause a change : to be important in some way
Cost can make a difference in deciding on a college.
Your help made a big difference.
It may not matter to you, but it makes a world of difference to me.
2
: to do something that is important : to do something that helps people or makes the world a better place
She says that she got into politics because she wanted to make a difference.
Examples of make a difference in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Taking a medication like a GLP-1 is one, but other drugs, conditions like sleep apnea, and diet and exercise can make a difference, too.
—
Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Does the earliest flight really make a difference?
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The Nittany Lions would be hiring their second consecutive coach out of Vanderbilt, but Lea may well be the man to make a difference at the program.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Will a play caller change make a difference?
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make a difference
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Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Does the earliest flight really make a difference?
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
The Nittany Lions would be hiring their second consecutive coach out of Vanderbilt, but Lea may well be the man to make a difference at the program.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Will a play caller change make a difference?
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make a difference
Cite this Entry
“Make a difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20difference. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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