make
/meɪk/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To create or produce something, or to cause something to happen. It can also mean to force or persuade someone to do something.
- She made a cake for dinner.
- This noise makes it hard to sleep.
- The news made him angry.
noun
The brand or model of a product, especially a car or machine.
- What make is your laptop?
- This car is a popular make.
- We checked the make before buying it.
Adinary Nuance
Make is broader and more common than many near-neighbors like create, build, or produce. Use make for everyday actions and results, not only for artistic or technical work. It also appears in many fixed phrases, so learners often need to learn its patterns, not just its basic meaning.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- làm
- Spanish
- hacer
- Chinese
- 做
- Japanese
- 作る
- Korean
- 만들다
Etymology
Old English mācian meant 'to construct' or 'to form'. It has been a common English word since before the 12th century.
Common phrases
make a decisionmake moneymake sensemake up your mind
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is make more common than create?
- Yes. Make is more common in everyday English. Create sounds more formal and is often used for art, ideas, or planned work.
- Can I say 'make a photo'?
- Usually no. English speakers say 'take a photo', not 'make a photo'.
- What is the difference between make and do?
- Make means to create or cause something. Do means to perform an action, task, or job.
- Is make used in business English?
- Yes. It is very common in business phrases like 'make a profit' and 'make a deal'.