makeshift 1 of 3

makeshift

2 of 3

noun

as in substitute
a temporary replacement when his belt broke, he was forced to use string as a makeshift

Synonyms & Similar Words

make shift

3 of 3

phrase

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 makeshift
Adjective
Visitors gather around a makeshift memorial prior to a vigil for missing 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro outside the child's home in Cabazon, California, on August 22. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025 An Israeli airstrike hit a school in Sheikh Radwan, a Gaza City neighborhood where Palestinians shelter in makeshift tents in the schoolyard. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025 The rain then turned into a storm and the temperatures dropped, leaving Luhn soaked despite his makeshift shelter. David Chiu, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Their latest mission took place just hours before CNN’s visit to their makeshift home. Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025 More folks donning cowboy boots and hats than a normal night in Nashville gathered on the makeshift dirt floor at Bridgestone Arena to see their queen — Reba McEntire — close out night-one of Nashville's first Music City Rodeo. Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 Soft, lightweight, and generously sized, this travel shawl works as an in-flight blanket, a cozy scarf, or even a makeshift pillow. Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2025 There were already a few signs of the personalities inside, including a collection of Edgar Allan Poe stories lying by one bed, a feather serving as a makeshift bookmark. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025 And in a sunny Austin alley outfitted with makeshift milk crate tables, earlybird Texans sip chamomile-maize soda and revel in Mercado Sin Nombre’s dusky masa pancakes. Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for makeshift
Adjective
  • That new equalized funding formula went into effect after a three-year transition period in 2024, when 44 groups each got $9,269, according to the three-year awards report.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Swiss transportation company Twiliner is kicking off a new night bus service later this year that will be more akin to a business class airline seat than your typical bus.
    Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • So flavorful is Mendel that 3BR often uses it as a substitute for gin in cocktails made in the distillery tasting room.
    Don Tse, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • If not covered, check alternative options like FEMA assistance or other reimbursement programs.
    Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Tenant downstairs has the freedom to wear earplugs or seek alternative living arrangements.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Appropriators are working behind the scenes to craft a yearlong bipartisan spending plan but are likely to need another stopgap funding measure to avoid a shutdown, which will require at least seven Democrats to cross the aisle and break a 60-vote filibuster.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The states are not discussing a stopgap agreement that could hold off federal decisionmaking, Buschatzke said.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Civil War Civil War presents a dystopian, alternate reality of the United States.
    Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • But at their core, colleges have always been about creating an alternate universe – an intentional oasis from the broader society.
    Matthew Scogin, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Photograph and cloud-backup your insurance documents and IDs.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • However, Dart will begin the year as his backup over Jameis Winston.
    Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Lopez noted and mocked Johnson’s comments, sarcastically asking why the mayor didn’t blame it on other historic phenomena.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Additional locations may experience flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or other factors.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Makeshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/makeshift. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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