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

Most of the people arriving from Cuba at the height of the influx in 2022 and 2023 came in groups on makeshift vessels, not by smugglers. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

Some injured passengers and crew members were taken to a sports hall as makeshift emergency stations were set up, Manuel Galán, the mayor ​of ​Urda near the ​city of Toledo, said, per The Guardian. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026

His organization distributes cash and food including rice and beans to help ease the hunger, but challenges remain, especially involving those left homeless by gang violence who are forced to move from one makeshift shelter to another. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

The unsheltered homeless population, which made up about 62% of overall homeless Californians in 2026, refers to people who sleep outside in tents, cars or other makeshift shelters. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026

There are three racks of shirts and a mirror by the window, with a curtain that can create a makeshift dressing room. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

This all plays out with a lot of frequent jarring tonal mismatches, and some bafflingly overwrought dramatic beats, especially around Vision’s makeshift self-repair. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

There were makeshift projector screens all across the city, and fire escapes teemed with fans hanging on each play. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 21 Oct. 2026

Whether buttoned all the way up, layered over a tank, or draped over your shoulders as a makeshift airplane wrap, this versatile staple looks effortlessly chic no matter how it’s styled—proving a timeless classic can still feel fresh. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2026