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

Know the warning signs Health care providers can also make a difference by screening for suicide risk and doing routine mental health checks, Hoffmann said. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025

Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. —Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

The amount of creatine needed to make a difference in cognitive health and the potential long-term effects are unknown — but the potential is intriguing. —Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 8 Sep. 2025

Jones, the Democratic chair in Miami-Dade, said national dollars make a difference in local turnout. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025

Rhymes for make a difference

• indifference