make a difference

idiom

: 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.

: 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 All proceeds support education programs and exhibitions at the Speed. Minnick, widely considered the world’s leading bourbon authority, knows these bids make a difference. —

Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 10 Sep. 2024 From a young age, Hisham Ahmad wanted to make a difference in the world. —

Hisham Ahmad, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024 However, Jolie always seeks to make a difference in showing the resilience of humanity. —

Natalie Sitek, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2024 The big picture: While the number of people for whom cryptocurrency is a voting issue might not be that large, there could be enough to make a difference in a race this tight. —

Brady Dale, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for make a difference

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

Cite this Entry

Style

“Make a difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20difference. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.

Copy Citation