1
as in comprising
to be all the substance of
the book is made up of 20 chapters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in devising
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
she keeps making up excuses as to why she hasn't yet finished the project
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in building
to form by putting together parts or materials
we'll have to make up the bookcase, which came in a box marked "some assembly required"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of making up
San Francisco, for instance, now offers interest-free loans of up to $500,000 to first-time homebuyers making up to $218,200 annually.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
These are the plants that are making up my diet during my winter in Florida.
—Robin Greenfield, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Black people account for 53% of the unhoused population, despite making up less than one-third of the city’s total population.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Barnes noted that the team's computer simulations were limited by the number and sizes of the particles making up the clouds of pebbles that went on to form planetesimals.
—Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 26 Feb. 2026
With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb solely making up for nearly 37% of the team's cap, there's not much to go around.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In the same time frame, the number of homes that are valued at $500,000 went from 5% to 25% of the city’s housing stock — making up a quarter of what’s available in Olathe.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2026
Arteta ended this block of matches before the international break by being adventurous against both Newcastle and West Ham, despite slightly different personnel making up that midfield unit.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Center, and the bourbon bars and distilleries making up Whiskey Row.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Oct. 2025
The Week Us, TheWeek, 19 Mar. 2026
These are the plants that are making up my diet during my winter in Florida.
—Robin Greenfield, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
Black people account for 53% of the unhoused population, despite making up less than one-third of the city’s total population.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Barnes noted that the team's computer simulations were limited by the number and sizes of the particles making up the clouds of pebbles that went on to form planetesimals.
—Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 26 Feb. 2026
With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb solely making up for nearly 37% of the team's cap, there's not much to go around.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In the same time frame, the number of homes that are valued at $500,000 went from 5% to 25% of the city’s housing stock — making up a quarter of what’s available in Olathe.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2026
Arteta ended this block of matches before the international break by being adventurous against both Newcastle and West Ham, despite slightly different personnel making up that midfield unit.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Center, and the bourbon bars and distilleries making up Whiskey Row.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for making up
Verb
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Similarly, Aram’s site-specific installation at the 2026 Whitney Biennial—comprising a new paravent, painting, collage, and sculpture, all against walls brushed pink and green by the artist himself—echoes this critique within a curatorial context that is national in scope.—
Julian Stern,
Artforum,
24 Mar. 2026
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Those teams comprising the list aren’t just over-achievers making a magical run.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last week, the council voted to direct the city manager to study moving emergency operations, dispatch and the service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the building, staying there and relocating.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
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While Green gave him instant advice, Kerr was devising ways to get Porzingis involved.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The researchers spent months building partnerships with distilleries across Kentucky, Illinois, and Canada to gain access to the samples needed for their fun energy-storage experiments.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Edged would be required to pay for its own power, and the company is building an Oncor substation.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The video depicted fingers on a MIDI keyboard, turning knobs, pushing buttons and supposedly composing the song in real time.—
Sam Davies,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
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The filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture?—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The company is spending about $200 billion on its domestic expansion, which includes constructing two chip-making factories at its headquarters campus in Southeast Boise, building up to four fabs in New York state, and modernizing its existing fab in Virginia.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
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Microsoft is constructing models for generating source code, images and audio, and for reasoning, which produces answers that people can find more thoughtful but requires more time, Suleyman said.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Athletics are assembling an interesting young core but don’t look ready for prime time yet, and the Los Angeles Angels look destined for another rough year.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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In charge is Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller), a stern German tactician who is tasked with assembling a global coalition to handle the astrophage problem.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But about 20 years later, Houdry read about Haagy’s discovery of the cause-effect between cars and smog, and turned his talent to inventing a catalytic converter process, essentially undoing his catalytic cracker and scrubbing pollution from gasoline.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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What about inventing or discovering something that makes the world a better place?—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Making up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/making%20up. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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