make up
B1 (High frequency phrasal verb)Neutral - common in both informal and formal contexts (depending on sense).
Definition
Meaning
to invent or create something; to become friendly again after a disagreement; to apply cosmetics.
Also to form a whole; to compensate for something; to resolve differences; to take a test previously missed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly polysemous phrasal verb. The meaning is heavily dependent on context and object. Can be transitive ('make up a story') or intransitive ('they made up'). The noun form 'make-up' refers to cosmetics or composition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: 'Make up' is often used for school/university work missed ('make up an exam'). US: 'Make up' is also standard for missed work, but 'take a makeup' (as a noun) is common. 'Make up your mind' is identical. Spelling of the noun: UK 'make-up', US often 'makeup'.
Connotations
Largely identical. The 'invent/fabricate' sense can have a negative connotation (a lie) or neutral (a story).
Frequency
All core meanings are extremely frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
make something upmake up (with someone)make up for somethingmake it up to someonebe made up of somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “kiss and make up”
- “make up your mind”
- “make up for lost time”
- “make it up as you go along”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The team needs to make up the lost revenue next quarter.
Academic
These elements make up the core structure of the argument.
Everyday
I need five minutes to make up my face before we go out.
Technical
The compound is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The children made up a fantastic game.
- They had a row but made up before lunch.
- Can I make up that lecture I missed?
American English
- She made up a great excuse for being late.
- You need to make up the work you skipped.
- They finally made up after not speaking for weeks.
adjective
British English
- She attended a make-up class on Saturday. (hyphenated attributive)
American English
- He has a makeup exam next week. (often solid compound)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She uses make-up every day.
- My sister and I made up after our fight.
- What is your make-up bag made of?
- He had to make up a story for the teacher.
- I will make up for being late, I promise.
- The group is made up of five students.
- The director made the ending up on the spot during filming.
- It's time to make up your mind about the job offer.
- No amount of money can make up for the lost time.
- The committee is largely made up of external stakeholders.
- Her effusive apology was meant to make up for her previous oversight.
- They have a tendency to make up facts to suit their narrative.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an actor putting on MAKE-UP to create a character (invent) or getting ready to go on stage. After a fight, they 'make up' to create peace again.
Conceptual Metaphor
CREATING IS CONSTRUCTING (make up a story), PEACE IS A WHOLE OBJECT (make up after a fight), COMPENSATION IS FILLING A GAP (make up for a mistake).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'делать' alone. 'Make up a story' is 'выдумать/придумать историю', not 'делать историю'.
- The noun 'make-up' (косметика) is a false friend for Russian 'макияж', which is a direct loanword.
- 'Make up your mind' means 'принять решение', not 'сделать ум'.
Common Mistakes
- *I made him up to go. (Incorrect for 'I persuaded him to go')
- Using 'make up' as a noun in verb position: *I will makeup the test. (Should be 'make up' or 'take the makeup')
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The board is made up of ten members', what does 'made up of' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends. 'Make up' (two words) is the verb. 'Make-up' (hyphenated) is the traditional UK spelling for the noun (cosmetics/composition). 'Makeup' (one word) is common, especially in US English, for the noun.
'Make up' means to invent or reconcile. 'Make up for' means to compensate or provide a substitute for something lost or missing.
Yes, in contexts like 'make up a story' or 'make up an excuse', it implies fabrication, which can be synonymous with lying, though it can also be neutral (creative invention).
It's a fixed phrase meaning to do something good for someone because you have done something bad to them or failed them. Example: 'I'm sorry I forgot your birthday – I'll make it up to you.'