makeup

noun

make·up | \ ˈmāk-ˌəp

Definition of makeup

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : the way in which the parts or ingredients of something are put together : composition the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood

b : physical, mental, and moral constitution His daring attitude toward risks is a major part of his makeup.

2a : the operation of making up especially pages for printing

b : design or layout of printed matter

3a(1) : cosmetics (such as lipstick, mascara, and eye shadow) used to color and beautify the face

(2) : a cosmetic applied to other parts of the body leg makeup for a tanned appearance

b : materials (such as wigs and cosmetics) used in making up or in special costuming (as for a play)

4 : replacement specifically : material added (as in a manufacturing process) to replace material that has been used up makeup water

5 : something that makes up for a previous postponement, omission, failure, or deficiency a makeup exam

make up

verb

Definition of make up (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to form by fitting together or assembling make up a train of cars

b : to arrange typeset matter in (columns or pages) for printing

2a : to combine to produce (a sum or whole)

b : constitute, compose 10 chapters make up this volume

3a : to compensate for (something, such as a deficiency or omission) make up the difference in lost pay

b : to do or take in order to correct an omission make up a history exam

4 : settle, decide made up my mind to depart

5 : to wrap or fasten up make the books up into a parcel

6a : to prepare in physical appearance for a role

b : to apply cosmetics to

7a : invent, improvise make up a story

b : to set in order rooms are made up daily

intransitive verb

1 : to become reconciled quarreled but later made up

2a : to act ingratiatingly and flatteringly made up to his aunt for a new bicycle

b : to make advances : court

3 : compensate make up for lost time

4a : to put on costumes or makeup (as for a play)

b : to apply cosmetics

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about makeup

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of makeup in a Sentence

Noun

His daring attitude toward risks is a major part of his makeup. She put on some makeup before the party. She applied her makeup lightly. She's too young to wear makeup. put on makeup for a play I didn't recognize him when he was in his theatrical makeup.

Verb

the book is made up of 20 chapters she keeps making up excuses as to why she hasn't yet finished the project

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But this temporary hair loss solution (used by makeup artists and regular consumers alike!) is still called spray-on hair colloquially thanks to a brand called GLH, which is short for Good Looking Hair. — Cheryl Wischhover, Vox, "How spray-on hair does (and doesn’t) work," 17 Dec. 2018 Someone with Instagram-flawless contouring might have honed her craft using the finest from the drugstore aisles, and the utterly makeup-free type might be spending thousands on laser treatments and serums. — Cristina Mueller, Glamour, "My $800 Nail Routine Helps Keep Me Sane," 17 Oct. 2018 Morrone appeared to go makeup-free in the photos and paired the bikini with a straw hat and simple, gold chain. — Fox News, "Leonardo DiCaprio's model girlfriend Camila Morrone flaunts bikini bod on vacation," 13 Aug. 2018 Within the Astros' organization, Tucker is renowned for his makeup — an uber-poised, almost blase demeanor with which he's accepted his position and prestige. — Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, "Astros' prized call-up Kyle Tucker ready to make his case in the majors," 8 July 2018 For makeup, the rapper applied a swipe of purple eye shadow onto her lids, the outer edges smoked out to create an exaggerated cat eye, and finished it off with a berry pink lip color. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Cardi B Embraces Early Spring With a Coordinated Pastel Beauty Look," 2 Feb. 2019 Experts like to curl lashes before makeup, as part of skin-care prep. — Talia Abbas, SELF, "13 Mistakes You’re Making When Using an Eyelash Curler," 30 Jan. 2019 Jenny also helped one of Nashville's top hair and makeup artists, Melissa Schleicher, breathe new life into her home. — Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, ""How A 'Property Brothers' Episode Changed My Life"," 12 Jan. 2019 And peeking beneath the perennially stylish hat was Shayk's newly cropped, neck-grazing cut that alongside a face of neutral makeup, save for a dab of pink lip gloss, gave her a cool, downtown edge worthy of a model off-duty. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "Irina Shayk Elevates Her New Bob With This French Girl Beauty Signature," 9 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Smaller cities had recently been the most dynamic markets in the country, making up nearly two-thirds of national property sales last year, compared with one-half in 2016, according to an analysis by S&P Global Ratings. — Dominique Fong, WSJ, "China’s Property Market, Once a Lifeline, Now Carries Economic Risks," 16 Feb. 2019 The base oil package in any oil makes up anywhere from 70 to 95 percent of the mix; the rest is composed of additives. — Paul Weissler, Popular Mechanics, "How to Pick the Right Motor Oil for Your Car," 14 Feb. 2019 Entry-level technicians earn about $18 to $22 per hour, and top technicians can make up to $40 an hour. — Katherine Long, The Seattle Times, "Students who beat steep odds credit Washington educators who wouldn’t give up on them," 4 Feb. 2019 The idea was that the shortages would be made up by AMD—but AMD CEO Lisa Su didn’t seem particularly interested in low-end products, either, now that AMD has the rich taste of profits in its mouth. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft's Surface sales soar to nearly $2 billion, though chip shortages are hurting," 31 Jan. 2019 Secure the Bag Fanny packs made up 25 percent of the accessories market in 2018. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "The Fall 2019 Men’s Trend Report," 25 Jan. 2019 Spotify represents nearly one-fifth of all listens, and smaller platforms make up the remainder. — Ashley Carman, The Verge, "NPR wants to know what podcast ads you skip," 27 Dec. 2018 There are so many influences that people aren’t aware of that make up our food in South Africa—French, Dutch, English, Malay, Indian, African. — Pilar Guzmán, Condé Nast Traveler, "South Africa’s Other Big Five," 20 Dec. 2018 As of October, original content made up 8 percent of content, measured in hours, on Netflix, according to Ampere. — Rani Molla, Recode, "Here’s what happens when the big media companies take their content off Netflix," 5 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'makeup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.