MAKING UP Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

making up

verb

present participle of make up

as in comprising

to be all the substance of the book is made up of 20 chapters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of making up The Grotto of Massabielle is one of the 22 sites making up the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 The project is expected to set aside 40% of its units as affordable for those making up to 60% of the area median income under federal guidelines. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 She was later wrongfully accused of making up the allegations and fired, while Durrah maintained his employment with the department, Tillman claimed in her complaint. — Amber Gaudet updated August 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 Consumer payments and subscriptions remain the core of the business, contributing 85% to 90% of revenue across the forecast period, with subscriptions already making up 60% to 70% of viewer spend. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026 From female directors making up 18-19 percent of film production to more than 30 percent. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 Medicaid now covers families making up to 138% of the federal poverty level. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 25 June 2026 Congress has to keep making up the gap with general taxpayer funds. — Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 May 2026 The timing of the hearing, coming less than three weeks before the primary election, throws a spotlight on the scandal just as voters are making up their minds. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for making up

Verb

Its main population center has historically been on the Arizona-Utah border in an area called Short Creek, comprising the towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026
The album features 24 tracks, with each LP comprising 12 songs corresponding to the Day and Night theme.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of comprising

Verb

Across product organizations, Microsoft executives have been devising ways to charge customers based on usage to better reflect rising costs.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Now, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have thwarted that tyranny even more profoundly, by devising an ultra-fast way to steer light, using light itself as the steering wheel.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of devising

Verb

De Vlieger continued his work as Thys through collaborations with Amon Tobin, composing for film, contemporary dance and fashion and writing for instrumental ensembles and electronic music projects.

— Katie Bain, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026
Countless hours since last December were spent writing scripts, doing voices, writing and composing pieces of original music, editing, and, of course, animating.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of composing

Verb

Secrecy laws like Georgia’s shield the public from awareness of the growing costs of pharmacists concocting drugs and the doctors administering the injections.

— Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2026
The figure concocting this foreign mist of positivity, Sumrall, grunted and frowned through the evening.

— Noah White, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of concocting

Verb

The company is constructing a similar RF hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
By formalizing direct material corridors between Africa’s raw material producers and Asia’s manufacturing hubs, BRICS is effectively constructing an alternative supply network that bypasses traditional Western intermediaries.

— Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of constructing

Verb

Across both commercial ambient platforms and general-purpose models applied to clinical documentation, the more common failure is under-capture rather than inventing what wasn’t said.

— Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
For a guy who's such a prominent African-American to try to get in on the conversation by inventing something that never took place.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of inventing

Verb

The second pillar allows the main shipyards to focus on assembling submarines, installing equipment and carrying out final tests.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
While the second batch of tortillas is in the oven, start assembling the tacos.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026