make for

phrasal verb

made for; making for; makes for

: to go toward (a place) quickly

Everyone made for the exit as soon as the show was over.

After he left the office he made straight for home.

: to cause (something) to happen or to be more likely

Courtesy makes for safer driving.

Examples of make for in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Of course, there are exceptions made for old friends. —

Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 18 Apr. 2024 Lingering in the present would have made for a different—and longer—book, but also, perhaps, a more resonant one. —

Ben Goldfarb, The Atlantic, 18 Apr. 2024 Similarly, being loyal makes for a dependable friend, lover and partner who’ll always remain faithful and reliable in times of need. —

Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024 The intense rosemary note and impeccable, melting texture make for a perfect bite. —

Jolene Thym, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024 Endless Range, Boundless Swagger: Her fiery competitiveness, no-look passes and 3-point bombs have made for must-see basketball in Iowa. —

Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024 The weather will make for a bumpy ride the next couple of days across the Kansas City area as multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to push through the region, the National Weather Service said. —

Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2024 The report makes for ominous reading for those accustomed to the comfort and stability of the neoliberal orthodoxy. —

Jonathan Mahler Edoardo Ballerini Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024 During an eclipse, that makes for a perfect fit, with the moon obscuring the entire body of the sun, while allowing the solar fires to flare out on all sides. —

Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.