make it

phrase

1

: survive, live

half the cubs won't make it through their first year

2

a

: to be successful

… trying to make it in the big time as a fashion photographer.

—Joe Kane

b

: to be satisfactory or pleasing

… if it isn't danceable, it doesn't make it for me.

—Judy Hyman

3

: to have sexual intercourse

Examples of make it in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both hurlers made it through five innings (Lugo recorded 5 innings pitched; Scherzer 5 2/3) and allowed three runs apiece. — Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2026

Landry went on to compete in the 1996 Miss Universe pageant, making it to the top six before being eliminated. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

She’s faced with the threat of being kicked out of her orphanage and must suddenly embrace her identity and confront the reality of making it through life on her own. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026

After liftoff, the V-2 started tilting midair and only made it to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) before falling back to Earth. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for make it

• candlelit
• counterfeit
• hypocrite
• resubmit
• retrofit
• acquit
• admit
• armpit
• backlit
• befit
• cockpit
• commit