Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a preposition or adverb to create a new meaning different from the verb alone. The verb make appears in many common phrasal verbs used in everyday English, business, and conversation. Learning these phrases is essential because their meanings often cannot be guessed from make itself. In this article, you will learn the most frequently used phrasal verbs with make, with clear definitions and examples.
15 Phrasal Verbs with MAKE: Meanings & Examples
Below you’ll find a list of the most common phrasal verbs with make. Each combines make with a preposition or adverb to create a clear meaning. The examples will show you exactly how these phrasal verbs appear in everyday English.
1. Make up
Meaning:
- To invent a story, excuse, or lie
- To become friends again after a disagreement
- To prepare or arrange something
- To form or constitute something
Examples:
- She made up an excuse for missing the meeting.
- They finally made up after arguing for days.
- She made up the guest room for her grandmother.
- Women make up half of the staff.
2. Make out
Meaning:
- To see, hear, or understand something with difficulty
- To claim or pretend something is true
- To kiss passionately (Informal)
Examples:
- I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
- He makes out that he knows everything.
- They were making out in the corner.
3. Make for
Meaning:
- To move quickly towards something
- To help produce a particular result
Examples:
- The children made for the playground.
- Clear writing makes for better communication.
4. Make over
Meaning:
- To improve or change the appearance of something or someone
- To legally transfer ownership
Examples:
- They made over the kitchen with new cabinets.
- He made over the house to his daughter.
5. Make off
Meaning: To leave quickly, especially after doing something wrong
Examples:
- The thieves made off before the police arrived.
- The fox made off across the field with the chicken.
6. Make off with
Meaning: To steal something and escape with it
Examples:
- Someone made off with my wallet.
- The burglars made off with all the jewellery.
7. Make after
Meaning: To chase or pursue
Examples:
- The dog made after the cat.
- The police made after the suspect.
8. Make into
Meaning: To change something into something else
Examples:
- She made the spare room into an office.
- They made the story into a film.
9. Make away with
Meaning:
- To steal or remove something
- To kill or destroy something (Less common)
Examples:
- The manager made away with company funds.
- The chemicals made away with all the evidence.
10. Make up for
Meaning: To compensate for something bad or missing
Examples:
- She tried to make up for her mistake by helping more.
- The good weather made up for the long journey.
11. Make towards
Meaning: To move in the direction of something
Examples:
- He made towards the exit quietly.
- She made towards the counter to pay.
12. Make of
Meaning: To have an opinion or impression about something
Examples:
- What do you make of his explanation?
- I don’t know what to make of this news.
13. Make with
Meaning: To provide something quickly (Informal)
Examples:
- Come on, make with the money!
- Make with the details—I’m curious.
14. Make out with
Meaning: To kiss passionately (Informal, mainly US)
Examples:
- She was making out with her boyfriend at the party.
- They made out with each other in the car.
15. Make fun of
Meaning: To mock or laugh at someone
Examples:
- It’s rude to make fun of people’s mistakes.
- They made fun of his accent, which upset him.
Quiz: Phrasal Verbs with Make
1. The thieves managed to ____ with all the money before the police arrived.
a) make over
b) make off
c) make for
2. She always tries to ____ an excuse when she forgets a meeting.
a) make up
b) make into
c) make with
3. They decided to ____ the garage ____ a guest room.
a) make up
b) make into
c) make after
4. He couldn’t ____ what she was saying because of the noise.
a) make out
b) make over
c) make of
5. The children ____ the playground as soon as school ended.
a) made off
b) made for
c) made up
6. Stop ____ his accent. It’s unkind.
a) make over
b) make fun of
c) make away with
7. She bought flowers to ____ forgetting his birthday.
a) make up for
b) make off with
c) make out
8. The dog ____ the cat across the garden.
a) made after
b) made towards
c) made into
9. They were ____ in the corner and didn’t see anyone watching them.
a) making out
b) making up
c) making with
10. The company plans to ____ the old office and modernize it completely.
a) make up
b) make over
c) make off
Quiz Answers
1) make off
2) make up
3) make into
4) make out
5) made for
6) make fun of
7) make up for
8) made after
9) making out
10) make over
