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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in comprised
to be all the substance of
the book is made up of 20 chapters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
And while OpenAI’s defenders could chalk that up to an isolated or even made-up incident, within 24 hours of the GPT-5 launch Altman was doing damage control, seemingly caught of guard by the bad reception.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Because a lot of things on reality TV are made-up situations and scenarios to provoke reactions and all of that stuff.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Something more insidious is at play with all of the half-baked or made-up statistics.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
The irony is that it is accepted that the tabloids found in the grocery store checkout aisle are often made-up or greatly exaggerated.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
American agricultural products once made-up 40 percent of China's market; that amount has fallen below 20 percent.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Canons are as made-up as the stories that are part of them, so Dark Forces still has value as part of an old continuity that remains fun and quite wacky at times.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
According to Jackson, our completely made-up (but almost certainly accurate) mythology for the ABC sudser isn’t necessarily dead in the water.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 4 Mar. 2025
Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
This annex of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum is made up of two hangars filled with thousands of space and air objects.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the hurricane is likely to bring life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to parts of Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, which is made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
—Kristin Wright, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
The pool is made up of 60% of gate receipts from each of those games.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 Oct. 2025
The Overland Park City Council is made up of the mayor and 12 members, with two members representing six wards.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
The club’s hallmark was its discretion, and what went on in the labyrinth of rooms that made up the basement club was never repeated in the outside world.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2025
The ticket is made up of all incumbents, including Mary Anne Will, current board president Emily Mason and current vice president Michael Wilson.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2025
More than 100 films made up the competition this edition.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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
And while OpenAI’s defenders could chalk that up to an isolated or even made-up incident, within 24 hours of the GPT-5 launch Altman was doing damage control, seemingly caught of guard by the bad reception.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Because a lot of things on reality TV are made-up situations and scenarios to provoke reactions and all of that stuff.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Something more insidious is at play with all of the half-baked or made-up statistics.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
The irony is that it is accepted that the tabloids found in the grocery store checkout aisle are often made-up or greatly exaggerated.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
American agricultural products once made-up 40 percent of China's market; that amount has fallen below 20 percent.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Canons are as made-up as the stories that are part of them, so Dark Forces still has value as part of an old continuity that remains fun and quite wacky at times.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 7 Mar. 2025
According to Jackson, our completely made-up (but almost certainly accurate) mythology for the ABC sudser isn’t necessarily dead in the water.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
Her second ensemble consisted of a chic suit with a fur collar, while her third bridal look was made up of an understated satin and chiffon dress with a mid-calf hem.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
This annex of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum is made up of two hangars filled with thousands of space and air objects.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the hurricane is likely to bring life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides to parts of Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, which is made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
—Kristin Wright, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
The pool is made up of 60% of gate receipts from each of those games.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 Oct. 2025
The Overland Park City Council is made up of the mayor and 12 members, with two members representing six wards.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2025
The club’s hallmark was its discretion, and what went on in the labyrinth of rooms that made up the basement club was never repeated in the outside world.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2025
The ticket is made up of all incumbents, including Mary Anne Will, current board president Emily Mason and current vice president Michael Wilson.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2025
More than 100 films made up the competition this edition.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for made-up
Adjective
-
In a white Ford Expedition with exempt plates and red emergency lights, Farzam stopped at a checkpoint manned by the National Guard on January 17 and presented a document showing the vehicle was registered to the fictitious Santa Muerte Fire Department, prosecutors said.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The film is set in a version of America that, while fictitious, still feels distinctly American.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The helmets’ one-size-fits-all design comprised a manganese steel outer shell and an adjustable inner lining that was attached to a leather chinstrap.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The first 10 episodes comprised season 2, with the remaining 10 slated for the upcoming third season, Entertainment Weekly can confirm.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In the 19th century, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace devised his own theory of evolution, independent of Charles Darwin, while visiting the region to research his book, The Malay Archipelago.—
Gisela Williams,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
-
And to that end, the Islamic Republic may have devised a failsafe for itself against popular anger.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Companies shouldn’t rush through the messy middle; those that win the AI race in the long run may not be those that deployed the technology first, but those that built the strongest collaboration between humans and AI.—
Feon Ang,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Naval build-up China has built world’s largest navy, launching high-tech warships at a frenetic pace under Xi’s leadership, putting pressure on the United States and its Pacific allies to keep up.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As players shoot around, Jake cradles a ball before blowing past an imaginary defender to hammer home a dunk.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
At the opening, Natalie, bored and filled with loathing for her parents, flees her family home by retreating into imaginary worlds of vivid, eroticized violence.—
Erin Somers,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The brain is composed mainly of fat, including omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol, which are essential for maintaining brain cell structure and function.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Produced by Cate Le Bon and composed by the band inside studios owned by Jeff Tweedy and Gilla Band, Secret Love would be a return to form, but Dry Cleaning never fell out of shape in the first place.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In exchange for not being charged with a DUI, the family’s lawyer concocted a deal in which Skakel was sent to the controversial Élan School in Maine in an effort to correct his unruly behavior.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report concocted this trade idea that sees the Lakers land and shore up both their frontcourt and backcourt, the Dallas Mavericks duo of former All-Star Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford.—
Ricardo Sandoval,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The wide-leg pants in this matching set are high-waisted with an elastic drawstring waistband for comfort, and are constructed with two side pockets for storage.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Gothic architecture, on the other hand, focused on height and light; despite being constructed from heavy stone, Gothic cathedrals seem to defy the laws of gravity.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Architectural Digest,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Made-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/made-up. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share