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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But in a market comprising more than 44 countries, and hundreds of companies that have been operating for over a century, making the necessary changes at speed is no easy thing.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
On a screen behind him and projected onto the walls of the venue is a steady stream of psychedelic imagery, comprising the work of 20 different artists being blended in real time by projection artist Michael Strauss.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There were also signs of progress on property taxes as lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee advanced their tax cut proposal — although their plan remains far from the one their Senate counterparts are devising.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
19 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
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The report suggested either adding event space or building a sports complex nearby.—
Mark Dee
April 1,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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While students are surrounded by technology, teachers say that exposure alone is not building the kind of skills needed for academic or professional environments.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 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
-
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
-
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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Among the possibilities for the site considered in the study were reusing the existing structure, turning the area into an open space for community events or constructing commercial or residential developments.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The ultimate goal is for NASA to spend years constructing a permanent lunar base where operations would enable the first astronauts to reach Mars.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The suspect spent weeks planning the attack, eventually assembling Molotov cocktails and conducting surveillance of Kiswani’s residence, according to federal complaint documents.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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In wars lasting a month or so with relatively low casualty rates, managing massive ammunition consumption, assembling and training replacements, and renewing equipment losses during a war, not after it, are simply not issues.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 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 2 Apr. 2026.
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