Making — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈmā-kiŋ/ mak·ing

Meaning & Definition of Making

Making (noun)

  1. the act or process of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being
  2. a process or means of advancement or success
  3. something made; especially, a quantity produced at one time, batch

Making (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the basic elements from which something can be developed

    "she has all the makings of an excellent leader, but she needs some experience first"

    similar: material, raw material, stuff, substance, timber
    related: possibility, potential, potentiality, matter, metal

Making (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to bring into being by combining, shaping, or transforming materials

    "will you help me make the dough for the cookies?"

    similar: fabricating, fashioning, forming, framing, manufacturing, producing, putting together
    related: assembling, building, constructing, erecting, making up, putting up, raising, rearing, setting up, structuring, throwing up, crafting, handcrafting, hewing, forging, molding, shaping, cobbling (together or up), knocking out, patching (together), prefabricating, creating, inventing, minting, originating, establishing, fathering, instituting, organizing, concocting, contriving, cooking (up), designing, devising, imagining, thinking (up), conceiving, envisaging, picturing, visualizing, refashioning, remaking, remanufacturing
    near: disassembling, dismantling, taking apart, breaking up, dismembering, abolishing, annihilating, demolishing, destroying, devastating, eradicating, exterminating, extinguishing, flattening, pulverizing, razing, ruining, shattering, smashing, wrecking, blowing up, exploding

  2. to obtain (as a goal) through effort

    "we finally made it!"

    similar: achieving, attaining, bagging, chalking up, clocking (up) (chiefly British), gaining, hitting, logging, notching (up), racking up, ringing up, scoring, winning
    related: acquiring, capturing, carrying, drawing, garnering, getting, landing, obtaining, procuring, realizing, securing, amounting (to), approaching, equaling, matching, measuring up (to), meeting, rivaling, touching, tying, beating, excelling, outdoing, surpassing, topping
    near: falling short (of), missing, failing (at), losing

  3. to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

    "the cats made quite a disturbance when they knocked the Christmas tree over"

    similar: begetting, breeding, bringing, bringing about, bringing on, catalyzing, causing, creating, doing, drawing on, effecting, effectuating, engendering, generating, inducing, invoking, occasioning, producing, prompting, resulting (in), spawning, translating (into), working, yielding, bringing forth, giving rise to
    related: conducing (to), contributing (to), deciding, determining, beginning, establishing, fathering, founding, inaugurating, initiating, innovating, instituting, introducing, launching, pioneering, setting, setting up, starting, advancing, cultivating, developing, encouraging, forwarding, fostering, furthering, nourishing, nurturing, promoting, enacting, rendering, turning out
    near: impeding, limiting, restricting, clamping down (on), cracking down (on), crushing, dampening, putting down, quashing, quelling, repressing, smothering, squashing, squelching, stifling, subduing, suppressing, arresting, checking, controlling, curbing, inhibiting, reining (in), restraining, retarding, canning (slang), killing, snuffing (out), stilling, abolishing, demolishing, destroying, extinguishing, liquidating, quenching

  4. to carry through (as a process) to completion

    "one person from each department will be asked to make a short presentation at the meeting"

    similar: accomplishing, achieving, bringing off, carrying off, carrying out, committing, compassing, doing, executing, following through (with), fulfilling, negotiating, performing, perpetrating, prosecuting, pulling off, putting through, going through
    related: bringing about, effecting, effectuating, implementing, acing, nailing, engaging (in), practicing, working (at), reduplicating, reenacting, repeating, actualizing, attaining, realizing, completing, ending, finishing, winding up
    near: failing, skimping, slighting, slurring

  5. to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

    "made him do all the work while everyone else just lounged around"

    similar: blackjacking, coercing, compelling, constraining, dragooning, driving, forcing, impelling, impressing, muscling, obligating, obliging, pressing, pressuring, sandbagging, twisting one's arm
    related: browbeating, bulldozing, bullying, cowing, hectoring, intimidating, blackmailing, high-pressuring, menacing, shaming, terrorizing, threatening, dragging, badgering, harassing, hounding
    near: allowing, letting, permitting, arguing, convincing, inducing, moving, persuading, prevailing (on or upon), satisfying, talking (into), winning (over)

  6. to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement

    "I make that to be about six feet long"

    similar: calculating, calling, conjecturing, estimating, figuring, gauging, guessing, judging, placing, putting, reckoning, supposing
    related: concluding, deducing, extrapolating, gathering, inferring, reasoning, understanding
    near: calibrating, measuring, scaling, computing, working out

  7. to form by putting together parts or materials

    "make a model airplane"

    similar: assembling, building, confecting, constructing, erecting, fabricating, making up, piecing, putting up, raising, rearing, setting up, putting together
    related: carpentering, fashioning, forging, framing, hammering, handcrafting, manufacturing, molding, producing, shaping, prefabricating, beginning, coining, creating, generating, inaugurating, initiating, innovating, inventing, originating, constituting, establishing, fathering, founding, instituting, organizing, conceiving, concocting, contriving, cooking (up), designing, devising, imagining, thinking (up), reassembling, rebuilding, reconstructing, redeveloping, reedifying (British), retrofitting, jerry-building, rigging (up), throwing up, combining, uniting
    opposite: demounting, disassembling, dismantling, dismembering, knocking down, striking, taking down, tearing down
    near: demolishing, destroying, devastating, flattening, leveling, pulling down, pulverizing, razing, ruinating, ruining, shattering, smashing, wrecking, blowing up, exploding, detaching, disengaging, disconnecting, disjoining, disuniting, dividing, separating

  8. to give the impression of being

    "the family made merry despite their financial worries"

    similar: acting, appearing, coming across (as), coming off (as), feeling, looking, seeming, sounding
    related: dissembling, pretending, recalling, resembling, suggesting, hinting, implying, insinuating

  9. to go on a specified course or in a certain direction

    "the baby made straight for the toy lying on the rug"

    similar: bearing, heading
    related: aiming, bending, directing, pointing, turning, beelining, lighting out, putting, putting out, setting off, setting out, striking, taking off, facing, orienting, steering, about-facing, backing, coming about, coming round, cutting, inclining, putting about, reversing, swerving, tacking, turning back, veering, wheeling, yawing

  10. to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action

    "the legislature failed to make any new laws last session"

    similar: constituting, enacting, laying down, legislating, ordaining, passing
    related: reenacting, repassing, bringing about, effecting, allowing, authorizing, permitting, sanctioning, decreeing, dictating, proclaiming, administering, executing, approving, confirming, ratifying
    opposite: repealing, rescinding, revoking
    near: abolishing, abrogating, annulling, canceling, invalidating, killing, nullifying, overturning, reversing, voiding

  11. to receive as return for effort

    "I make considerably more money now than I did when I first started working here"

    similar: acquiring, attaining, bagging, bringing in, capturing, carrying, coming by, drawing, earning, gaining, garnering, getting, knocking down, landing, obtaining, procuring, pulling down, realizing, reaping, securing, winning
    related: clearing, grossing, netting, accomplishing, achieving, notching (up), scoring, accumulating, amassing, racking up, catching, picking up, annexing, occupying, taking over, reacquiring, reattaining, recapturing, regaining, remaking
    opposite: forfeiting, losing
    near: according, giving, granting, paying, giving up, handing over, parting (with), relinquishing, surrendering, yielding

  12. to have a clear idea of

    "what do you make of the latest information?"

    similar: appreciating, apprehending, assimilating, beholding, catching, catching on (to), cognizing, compassing, comprehending, conceiving, cottoning (to or on to), deciphering, decoding, digging, discerning, getting, grasping, grokking, intuiting, knowing, making out, perceiving, recognizing, registering, savvying, seeing, seizing, sensing, tumbling (to), twigging, understanding, picking up on
    related: absorbing, digesting, taking in, realizing, fathoming, penetrating, piercing
    opposite: missing
    near: misapprehending, misconceiving, misconstruing, misinterpreting, misperceiving, misreading, mistaking, misunderstanding

  13. to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening

    "make the gate when ye leave"

    similar: closing, shutting, steeking (chiefly Scottish)
    related: barring, battening (down), bolting, chaining, fastening, latching, locking, plugging, sealing, stoppering, securing, banging, clapping, slamming
    opposite: opening
    near: unbarring, unbolting, unchaining, unfastening, unlatching, unlocking, unsealing

Related Entry: Make (verb)

Make is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for make, not for making.

  1. to bring into being by combining, shaping, or transforming materials

    "will you help me make the dough for the cookies?"

    similar: fabricate, fashion, form, frame, manufacture, produce, put together
    related: assemble, build, construct, erect, make up, put up, raise, rear, set up, structure, throw up, craft, handcraft, hew, forge, mold, shape, cobble (together or up), knock out, patch (together), prefabricate, create, invent, mint, originate, establish, father, institute, organize, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), conceive, envisage, picture, visualize, refashion, remake, remanufacture
    near: disassemble, dismantle, take apart, break up, dismember, abolish, annihilate, demolish, destroy, devastate, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, flatten, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode

  2. to obtain (as a goal) through effort

    "we finally made it!"

    similar: achieve, attain, bag, chalk up, clock (up) (chiefly British), gain, hit, log, notch (up), rack up, ring up, score, win
    related: acquire, capture, carry, draw, garner, get, land, obtain, procure, realize, secure, amount (to), approach, equal, match, measure up (to), meet, rival, tie, touch, beat, excel, outdo, surpass, top
    near: fall short (of), miss, fail (at), lose

  3. to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

    "the cats made quite a disturbance when they knocked the Christmas tree over"

    similar: beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effect, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield, bring forth, give rise to
    related: conduce (to), contribute (to), decide, determine, begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start, advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote, enact, render, turn out
    near: impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard, can (slang), kill, snuff (out), still, abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

  4. to carry through (as a process) to completion

    "one person from each department will be asked to make a short presentation at the meeting"

    similar: accomplish, achieve, bring off, carry off, carry out, commit, compass, do, execute, follow through (with), fulfill, negotiate, perform, perpetrate, prosecute, pull off, put through, go through
    related: bring about, effect, effectuate, implement, ace, nail, engage (in), practice, work (at), reduplicate, reenact, repeat, actualize, attain, realize, complete, end, finish, wind up
    near: fail, skimp, slight, slur

  5. to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

    "made him do all the work while everyone else just lounged around"

    similar: blackjack, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, drive, force, impel, impress, muscle, obligate, oblige, press, pressure, sandbag, twist one's arm
    related: browbeat, bulldoze, bully, cow, hector, intimidate, blackmail, high-pressure, menace, shame, terrorize, threaten, drag, badger, harass, hound
    near: allow, let, permit, argue, convince, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)

  6. to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement

    "I make that to be about six feet long"

    similar: calculate, call, conjecture, estimate, figure, gauge, guess, judge, place, put, reckon, suppose
    related: conclude, deduce, extrapolate, gather, infer, reason, understand
    near: calibrate, measure, scale, compute, work out

  7. to form by putting together parts or materials

    "make a model airplane"

    similar: assemble, build, confect, construct, erect, fabricate, make up, piece, put up, raise, rear, set up, put together
    related: carpenter, fashion, forge, frame, hammer, handcraft, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, prefabricate, begin, coin, create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), reassemble, rebuild, reconstruct, redevelop, reedify (British), retrofit, jerry-build, rig (up), throw up, combine, unite
    opposite: demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down
    near: demolish, destroy, devastate, flatten, level, pull down, pulverize, raze, ruin, ruinate, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode, detach, disengage, disconnect, disjoin, disunite, divide, separate

  8. to give the impression of being

    "the family made merry despite their financial worries"

    similar: act, appear, come across (as), come off (as), feel, look, seem, sound
    related: dissemble, pretend, recall, resemble, suggest, hint, imply, insinuate

  9. to go on a specified course or in a certain direction

    "the baby made straight for the toy lying on the rug"

    similar: bear, head
    related: aim, bend, direct, point, turn, beeline, light out, put, put out, set off, set out, strike, take off, face, orient, steer, about-face, back, come about, come round, cut, incline, put about, reverse, swerve, tack, turn back, veer, wheel, yaw

  10. to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action

    "the legislature failed to make any new laws last session"

    similar: constitute, enact, lay down, legislate, ordain, pass
    related: reenact, repass, bring about, effect, allow, authorize, permit, sanction, decree, dictate, proclaim, administer, execute, approve, confirm, ratify
    opposite: repeal, rescind, revoke
    near: abolish, abrogate, annul, cancel, invalidate, kill, nullify, overturn, reverse, void

  11. to receive as return for effort

    "I make considerably more money now than I did when I first started working here"

    similar: acquire, attain, bag, bring in, capture, carry, come by, draw, earn, gain, garner, get, knock down, land, obtain, procure, pull down, realize, reap, secure, win
    related: clear, gross, net, accomplish, achieve, notch (up), score, accumulate, amass, rack up, catch, pick up, annex, occupy, take over, reacquire, reattain, recapture, regain, remake
    opposite: forfeit, lose
    near: accord, give, grant, pay, give up, hand over, part (with), relinquish, surrender, yield

  12. to have a clear idea of

    "what do you make of the latest information?"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

  13. to position (something) so as to prevent passage through an opening

    "make the gate when ye leave"

    similar: close, shut, steek (chiefly Scottish)
    related: bar, batten (down), bolt, chain, fasten, latch, lock, plug, seal, stopper, secure, bang, clap, slam
    opposite: open
    near: unbar, unbolt, unchain, unfasten, unlatch, unlock, unseal

Related Entry: Making love (phrase)

Making love is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making love, not for making.

  1. sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis

    "They decided to delay making love until they were married."

    similar: coition, coitus, commerce, congress, copulating, copulation, coupling, intercourse, lovemaking, mating, relations, sex, sex act, sexual intercourse, sexual relations, getting it on
    related: fornication, safe sex, carnality, sexuality, breeding, insemination, dalliance, hanky-panky, whoopee

Related Entry: Making game of (verb)

Making game of is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making game of, not for making.

  1. as in picking on

    similar: picking on, baiting, hassling, hazing, heckling, needling, riding, taunting, teasing

Related Entry: Making off (verb)

Making off is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making off, not for making.

  1. as in getting out, getting (away)

    similar: absconding, clearing out, decamping, eloping, escaping, getting (away), getting out, lamming, lighting out, mizzling (chiefly British), scarpering (British), scatting, scramming, skipping (out), skirring, bolting, breaking, bugging out, fleeing, flying, hightailing (it), retreating, running, running away, running off, skedaddling
    opposite: bearding, braving, confronting, daring, defying, facing, abiding, dwelling, hanging around, lingering, remaining, staying, sticking around, tarrying

Related Entry: Making sail (verb)

Making sail is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making sail, not for making.

  1. as in taking ship

    similar: taking ship, boating, cruising, ferrying, navigating, sailing, shipping (out), voyaging

Related Entry: Making way (verb)

Making way is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making way, not for making.

  1. as in opening, clearing

    similar: clearing, opening, unclogging, unplugging, unstopping, aiding, assisting, facilitating, helping, freeing, liberating, releasing, untying, loosening, smoothing, encouraging, furthering, promoting
    opposite: clogging, cramping, embarrassing, encumbering, fettering, hampering, handcuffing, handicapping, hindering, hobbling, hog-tying, holding back, holding up, impeding, inhibiting, interfering (with), manacling, obstructing, shackling, short-circuiting, stymieing, trammeling, tying up, balking, checking, constraining, curbing, reining, restraining, binding, chaining, haltering, leashing, tethering, tying

Related Entry: Making out (verb)

Making out is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making out, not for making.

  1. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "we're not rich, but we're making out all right"

    similar: coping, doing, faring, getting along, getting by, getting on, managing, shifting, fending for oneself, making do, making ends meet, making shift
    related: carrying on, contriving, scraping (by or through), scrounging, lasting, surviving, eking out, scraping (out), squeezing, wresting, wringing, affording, swinging
    near: collapsing, failing, falling short, fizzling, floundering, declining, petering (out), slumping, waning, giving up

  2. to have a clear idea of

    "I can't quite make out what she is trying to say"

    similar: appreciating, apprehending, assimilating, beholding, catching, catching on (to), cognizing, compassing, comprehending, conceiving, cottoning (to or on to), deciphering, decoding, digging, discerning, getting, grasping, grokking, intuiting, knowing, making, perceiving, recognizing, registering, savvying, seeing, seizing, sensing, tumbling (to), twigging, understanding, picking up on
    related: absorbing, digesting, taking in, realizing, fathoming, penetrating, piercing
    opposite: missing
    near: misapprehending, misconceiving, misconstruing, misinterpreting, misperceiving, misreading, mistaking, misunderstanding

  3. to take on a false or deceptive appearance

    "he tried to make out that he didn't mind losing his job, but friends suspected he was desperately worried"

    similar: dissembling, dissimulating, letting on, pretending, making a pretense, making a show, making believe, putting on an act, putting up a front
    related: acting, impersonating, masquerading, playacting, playing, posing, affecting, assuming, counterfeiting, faking, feigning, professing, putting on, shamming, simulating, camouflaging, concealing, disguising, masking, bluffing, feinting

  4. to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

    "as best as I can make out, the police were informed of the incident but didn't think it was worth investigating"

    similar: concluding, deciding, deducing, deriving, extrapolating, gathering, inferring, judging, reasoning, understanding, drawing a conclusion
    related: assuming, supposing, conjecturing, guessing, speculating, surmising, construing, interpreting, reading, contemplating, philosophizing, rationalizing, thinking, ascertaining, doping (out), finding out

Related Entry: Making over (verb)

Making over is a different word from Making. The synonyms below are for making over, not for making.

  1. to change in form, appearance, or use

    "the old factory was completely made over and is now an upscale shopping center"

    similar: alchemizing, converting, metamorphosing, transfiguring, transforming, transmuting, transposing, transubstantiating
    related: adjusting, altering, modifying, recasting, redefining, redesigning, redoing, reengineering, refashioning, regenerating, remaking, remodeling, revamping, revising, reworking, varying, deforming, disfiguring, distorting, mutating, transmogrifying, displacing, replacing, substituting, supplanting

  2. to give over the legal possession or ownership of

    "made the deed over to his daughter"

    similar: alienating, aliening, assigning, ceding, conveying, deeding, transferring, disposing of
    related: bequeathing, handing down, leaving, passing (down), willing, bestowing, commending, committing, conferring, contributing, delivering, donating, granting, handing over, moving, passing, presenting, releasing, relinquishing, surrendering, transmitting, turning in, turning over, vesting, yielding, consigning, entrusting, trusting, leasing, lending, letting (chiefly British), loaning, renting
    near: expropriating

  3. to make different in some way

    "just got up one day and decided to make over her hairstyle and her appearance in general"

    similar: altering, changing, modifying, recasting, redoing, refashioning, remaking, remodeling, revamping, revising, reworking, varying
    related: deforming, metamorphosing, mutating, regenerating, revolutionizing, transfiguring, transforming, transmuting, commuting, converting, exchanging, rejiggering, retooling
    opposite: fixing, freezing, setting, stabilizing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Making

The most common words with a similar meaning to Making:

Chiefly British: clocking (up)
Chiefly Scottish: steeking
material, raw material, stuff, substance, timber, fabricating, fashioning, forming, framing, manufacturing, producing, achieving, attaining, bagging, chalking up, gaining, hitting, logging, notching (up), racking up, ringing up, scoring, winning, begetting, breeding, bringing, bringing about, bringing on, catalyzing, causing, creating, doing, drawing on, effecting, effectuating, engendering, generating, inducing, invoking, occasioning

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Making

Words with the opposite meaning of Making:

demounting, disassembling, dismantling, dismembering, knocking down, striking, taking down, tearing down, repealing, rescinding, revoking, forfeiting, losing, missing, opening

Related Words for Making

possibility, potential, potentiality, matter, metal, structuring, throwing up, crafting, handcrafting, hewing, forging, molding, shaping, cobbling (together or up), knocking out, patching (together), prefabricating, inventing, minting, originating, establishing, fathering, instituting, organizing, concocting, contriving, cooking (up), designing, devising, imagining

Near Antonyms of Making

taking apart, breaking up, abolishing, annihilating, demolishing, destroying, devastating, eradicating, exterminating, extinguishing, flattening, pulverizing, razing, ruining, shattering, smashing, wrecking, blowing up, exploding, falling short (of), failing (at), impeding, limiting, restricting, clamping down (on), cracking down (on), crushing, dampening, putting down, quashing

Origin & Etymology of Making

Middle English, from Old English macung, from macian to make

First known use: 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Making

Words & Phrases Containing Making

slave-making ant, decision-making, epoch-making, in the making, non-profit-making, of one's own making, the making of

Frequently Asked Questions about Making

What does "Making" mean?

"Making" means the act or process of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act or process of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being. It has 14 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Making"?

Other words for "Making" include material, raw material, stuff, substance, timber, fabricating, fashioning and forming. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Making" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Making"?

There are 378 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Making". Common alternatives include material, raw material, stuff, substance, timber, fabricating, fashioning, forming, framing and manufacturing.

What is the opposite of "Making"?

Antonyms of "Making" include demounting, disassembling, dismantling, dismembering, knocking down, striking, taking down and tearing down. Near antonyms include taking apart, breaking up, abolishing and annihilating.

How do you use "Making" in a sentence?

Examples of "Making" in a sentence: "she has all the makings of an excellent leader, but she needs some experience first"; "will you help me make the dough for the cookies?"; "we finally made it!".

Is "Making" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Making" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Making" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Making" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Making"?

"Making" is pronounced /ˈmā-kiŋ/ and divided into syllables as mak·ing.