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

In a victory march across the makeshift bridge, the soldiers transported 140 Carthaginian elephants from Sicily to Rome’s Circus Maximus, according to the first-century historian Pliny the Elder. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

One photo depicts a person curled up on a piece of cardboard, using a pillow and, as a makeshift blanket, a tarp. — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026

Herrera received one of the boxes that were handed out at a makeshift shelter adjacent to the beach. — ABC News, 8 July 2026

Since just after its discovery, the hole has been secured by a makeshift covering of plywood and two-by-fours donated by Hartford Lumber Co. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026

Many migrants arrive after crossing the Mediterranean in overcrowded boats and makeshift vessels. — Joshua McElwee, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Outside hospitals, temporary shelters and makeshift morgues, families post photographs of missing relatives and circulating their names on social media in hopes that someone may have information about their fate. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Pulling this makeshift pantsuit together is a fun and whimsical pair of walking sandals. — Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026

Lay the makeshift sprinkler next to or in your garden beds for an upward spray. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026