Synonyms of makeshift

makeshift 1 of 3

adjective

as in new

taking the place of one that came before

turned a towel into a makeshift skirt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• new
• alternative
• alternate
• other
• substitute
• another
• second
• different
• extra
• substitutive
• separate
• improvised
• pinch
• successive
• spare
• equivalent
• utility
• jury

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• first
• original
• former
• same
• permanent
• identical
• equal
• lasting

makeshift

2 of 3

noun

ˈmāk-ˌshift 

as in substitute

a temporary replacement

when his belt broke, he was forced to use string as a makeshift

Synonyms & Similar Words

• substitute
• stopgap
• backup
• refuge
• expedient
• alternate
• stand-in
• recourse
• resort
• quick fix
• standby
• understudy

make shift

3 of 3

phrase

as in cope

to meet one's day-to-day needs

They were able to make shift without borrowing money.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cope
• do
• get on
• get by
• get along
• make out
• manage
• make ends meet
• make do
• survive
• shift
• fare
• carry on
• afford
• fend for oneself
• scrape (by or through)
• eke out
• last
• scrape (out)
• contrive
• scrounge
• squeeze
• wring
• swing
• wrest

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall short
• fail
• collapse
• flounder
• decline
• slump
• peter (out)
• wane
• fizzle
• give up

Synonym Chooser

How is the word makeshift different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of makeshift are expedient, resort, resource, shift, and stopgap. While all these words mean "something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply," makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

When is expedient a more appropriate choice than makeshift?

The words expedient and makeshift are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

How are the words resource and resort related as synonyms of makeshift?

Both resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources

a last resort

Where would shift be a reasonable alternative to makeshift?

Although the words shift and makeshift have much in common, shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

When could stopgap be used to replace makeshift?

The words stopgap and makeshift can be used in similar contexts, but stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of makeshift

Adjective

Parton died after a brief battle with cancer, with her death triggering an outpouring of grief, from fellow Hollywood stars to everyday fans who attended makeshift memorials. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

China builds access road for rescue crews On the Chinese side, rescue crews completed a makeshift road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port on the Nepal border, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

On the Chinese side, rescue crews completed a makeshift road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port on the Nepal border, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026

The star has become a makeshift memorial in the days since Parton’s death, where fans have placed flowers, photos, candles, and other mementos. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026

One of those made homeless, 39-year-old Ganga Maya Tamang, is now living in a makeshift shelter on higher ground. — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Local authorities would rope together timber logs for a makeshift bridge, but in the rainy season, the logs would grow slippery and floods would wash them away. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026

These were once young men who would throw themselves into other young men while a guitar’s feedback roared from cheap speakers atop makeshift stages in basements or indoor skate parks. — Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026

One day, Parton fashioned a makeshift microphone by putting a tobacco stick into the ground and placing a tin can on top, performing a show of her own. — Shima Oliaee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026