make up for (something)

idiom

: to do or have something as a way of correcting or improving (something else)
He wanted to make up for neglecting his children by spending more time with them.
She tried to make up for lost time by working extra hard.
What the movie lacks in plot it makes up for in special effects.

Examples of make up for (something) in a Sentence

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Most of these patients work with a medical provider or dietitian to identify and eliminate food sources that contain gluten and to get recommendations on how to make up for nutritional deficiencies. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 July 2025 They’re usually made in smaller sizes than porcelain/ceramic because of this, and often come in sets much larger than six to make up for the smaller size and their most frequent usage, while maintaining an equal price. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 July 2025 The series was filmed in British Columbia, Canada, and all the soaring drone shots of mountain ranges and dense forests can’t make up for the lack of specificity when Untamed is on the ground. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2025 The British singer, producer, dancer, and actress has always operated from the periphery, eschewing straight-up bangers for steely, elusive mood pieces; what her songs lack in top 40 appeal they more than make up for in vision. Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for make up for (something)

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“Make up for (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20up%20for%20%28something%29. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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