make up — to form or compose something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to form or compose something
Pronunciation (IPA): /meɪk ʌp/
Example Sentences
- My cat makes up 90% of my phone's photo storage.
- I made up a convincing excuse about alien abduction for missing work.
- Students make up the largest portion of our customer base.
make up
VERB[/meɪk ʌp/]
to form or compose something

to form or compose something
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrasal verb 'make up' combines the verb 'make' (from Old English 'macian') with the adverb/preposition 'up' (from Old English 'upp'). The combination developed in Middle English to mean 'to compose' or 'to form by putting together'.
Breakdown
make (to create, construct, from Old English 'macian') + up (upward, together, from Old English 'upp') = make up (to form or compose something by combining parts)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat makes up 90% of my phone's photo storage.”
“I made up a convincing excuse about alien abduction for missing work.”
“Students make up the largest portion of our customer base.”
“The couple made up after their silly argument about pizza toppings.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.