made-up 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmād-ˈəp How to pronounce made-up (audio)
Definition of made-upnext
as in fictitious
not real and existing only in the imagination the bogeyman was one of those made-up monsters whose sole purpose was to threaten children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

made up

2 of 2

verb

past tense of make up
1
as in comprised
to be all the substance of the book is made up of 20 chapters

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2
as in devised
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination she keeps making up excuses as to why she hasn't yet finished the project

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3
as in built
to form by putting together parts or materials we'll have to make up the bookcase, which came in a box marked "some assembly required"

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of made-up
Adjective
That story was 100 percent insane and made-up, and not a word of it is true. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026 And there's not one right way to do it, considering the holiday is made-up and the real thing is just around the corner. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the barrier is the outer, dead-cell layer of skin made up of corneocytes, lipids, proteins and fats that keep water in and irritants out. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026 Backcountry Tiny Homes The interior measures 400 sq ft (37 sq m), which is around the same as a studio apartment, and has an attractive finish made up of natural tongue-and-groove knotty pine on the walls and ceiling, plus hardwood floors. — New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for made-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for made-up
  1. fictitious
  2. comprised
  3. devised
  4. built
  5. imaginary
  6. composed
  7. concocted
  8. constructed
Adjective
  • The schemes often use fictitious romantic relationships to persuade victims to transfer money to an investment opportunity recommended by the fraudsters.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • As the puzzle pieces shift slowly into place, these revelations are jaw-dropping (once again, in their highly fictitious context), leading to a journalistic urgency.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of fictitious
Verb
  • Storm damage revealed an unusual arrangement of stones that comprised part of a previously unknown settlement near the Roman fort of Kapersburg in Hesse.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Sullivan, a midfielder for the Philadelphia Union, joins many of the same players who comprised the roster for the USMNT's World Cup run this summer including Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi and others.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of comprised
Verb
  • The results suggested that the idea of using messenger RNA to train the immune system to attack cancer cells — an approach first devised decades ago — was ripe for further drug development.
    — Allison DeAngelis, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Teams devised an unprecedented bit of spaceship surgery to replace the valve without draining the propellant and disassembling the spacecraft, steps that would have triggered a much longer delay.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of devised
Verb
  • In a new study, researchers at New York University built a custom random-positioning machine that continually changed the orientation of human cells relative to Earth's gravity.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Musk's showpiece rocket -- the biggest and most powerful ever built -- carried 26 of the latest Starlinks to join the 11,000 older models already providing internet service.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of built
Adjective
  • Forte_Forte For spring 2027, Giada Forte embarked on an imaginary journey inspired by the Spice Route, combining nods to destinations from Venice to Egypt to Morocco.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Stewart smiled while on her way to the bench as the ESPN broadcast highlighted Jonquel Jones stirring an imaginary pot on the sidelines.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of imaginary
Verb
  • The sound of the music was one thing—even when Stereolab were at their loungiest or Stars of the Lid were including the key in which a song was composed in its title, there was something like the faintest air of rock music in their experiments.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • James Newton Howard Howard composed the emotional finale of the film.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of composed
Verb
  • Martha’s concocted plenty over the years, including her cider-bourbon cocktail made with apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice, ginger, and apple garnishes.
    — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The young lady had specially flown in from New York and Alan had concocted a piece of simple blackmail.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of concocted
Verb
  • Our research suggests these tombs were designed and constructed not simply to house the dead, but to affect the living through a sensorily immersive environment similar to a modern 3D film experience.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • As such, the narratives constructed by mainstream media outlets are not mere reflections of events but active tools of persuasion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of constructed

Browse Nearby Words

made tracks
made-up
made up
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Cite this Entry

“Made-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/made-up. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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