as in new
taking the place of one that came before
turned a towel into a makeshift skirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
make shift
3 of 3phrase
as in cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs
They were able to make shift without borrowing money.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of makeshift
Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Health concerns Vendors serving food and drinks from carts and makeshift restaurants have sprouted along some of the city’s main thoroughfares, raising public health and local business concerns.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Protesters pulled trash from a dumpster to build a makeshift barricade against a door, attempting to keep federal agents inside.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Displaced families often spend weeks, sometimes months, in makeshift dwellings, including public squares and deserted government buildings, while children lose months or even years of education as schools close or become inaccessible owing to gang activity.
—Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The last instance occurred in the days leading up to the 2025 NCAA regional, but Texas was able to construct a makeshift replacement in time for that week's six games.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
The former policy was the only compassionate response to unsanitary and unsafe lean-to and tents and other makeshift shelters illegally erected on public property such as parks or sidewalks or on empty lots.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
That’s where Davis filmed the Beasties smoking… something out of a makeshift tinfoil pipe.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
California's homelessness crisis is especially visible in downtown Los Angeles, where hundreds of people live in makeshift shanties that line entire blocks in the notorious neighborhood known as Skid Row.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The makeshift detention center, surrounded by chain-link fences, had detainees sleeping on brown bunk beds under bright, perpetual fluorescent lights.
—Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Health concerns Vendors serving food and drinks from carts and makeshift restaurants have sprouted along some of the city’s main thoroughfares, raising public health and local business concerns.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Protesters pulled trash from a dumpster to build a makeshift barricade against a door, attempting to keep federal agents inside.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Displaced families often spend weeks, sometimes months, in makeshift dwellings, including public squares and deserted government buildings, while children lose months or even years of education as schools close or become inaccessible owing to gang activity.
—Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The last instance occurred in the days leading up to the 2025 NCAA regional, but Texas was able to construct a makeshift replacement in time for that week's six games.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
The former policy was the only compassionate response to unsanitary and unsafe lean-to and tents and other makeshift shelters illegally erected on public property such as parks or sidewalks or on empty lots.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
That’s where Davis filmed the Beasties smoking… something out of a makeshift tinfoil pipe.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
California's homelessness crisis is especially visible in downtown Los Angeles, where hundreds of people live in makeshift shanties that line entire blocks in the notorious neighborhood known as Skid Row.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for makeshift
Adjective
-
See video … LISTEN Tune in for a breakdown of new polling showing voters uneasy with aggressive ICE tactics and that the White House is not focused enough on inflation and affordability.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Gruda’s performances have not been at a level that would entitle him to expect to be a regular starter (10 of 18 league appearances this season have been as a substitute).—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Zagorac was fired from substitute teaching jobs in Naperville District 203, Hinsdale District 181 and Schaumburg District 54 in 2005, after the districts realized their background checks did not extend beyond Illinois’ borders, according to the Naperville Sun.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Under the structure, Solomon’s compensation is partly tied to the long-term performance of certain alternative investments managed by the firm.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Bootstrapping is an alternative funding solution that allows founders to build their companies with internal resources rather than external capital.—
William Jones,
AZCentral.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On Friday, the Senate approved legislation to fund each of these remaining government agencies through the end of the fiscal year in September, while also agreeing to a two-week stopgap bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.—
Lexie Schapitl,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The board paid 50 building engineers and 123 cafeteria workers who volunteered to clean schools this month as a stopgap after the two contract rejections.—
Bri Hatch,
Chalkbeat,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Tyler Huntley made it as an alternate three years ago after throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts with the Baltimore Ravens.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Some departments reduced their footprint in Sacramento after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many to work from home and, in the interim years, employees have adapted to sharing workstations with coworkers who are in offices on alternate days.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These buckets store files such as photos, documents, receipts and backups.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The committee voted to fully fund payments to jails, which have housed some offenders as a backup, and for medical payments.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The data included not only tax returns but also investment details, stock trades, gambling winnings, audit determinations, and other financial information.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Makeshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/makeshift. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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