English dictionary

making Meaning & Definition

Q: What is the plural of making?

The plural of making is makings.

/ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

What Does Making Mean?

Making is a noun that means The act of forming, causing, or constituting; workmanship; construction. It can also mean Process of growth or development. As a verb, it means present participle and gerund of make. As a verb, it means To create.

Word Facts for Making

Part of speech	noun, verb
Pronunciation	/ˈmeɪkɪŋ/
Synonyms	devising, fashioning and fabricate
Plural	makings

Making Definition (Noun)

The act of forming, causing, or constituting; workmanship; construction.
during the making of the movie
Process of growth or development.
As a child, he didn’t seem like a genius in the making.
Something that causes somebody's success or progress
a book that was the making of his career

Making as a Verb

present participle and gerund of make

Verb

To create.
To behave, to act.
He made as if to punch him, but they both laughed and shook hands.
To tend; to contribute; to have effect; with for or against.
To constitute.
One swallow does not a summer make.
To add up to, have a sum of.
Two and four make six.
(construed with of, typically interrogative) To interpret.
I don’t know what to make of it.
(usually stressed) To bring into success.
She married into wealth and so has it made.
(ditransitive, second object is an adjective or participle) To cause to be.
Did I make myself heard?
To cause to appear to be; to represent as.
(ditransitive, second object is a verb) To cause (to do something); to compel (to do something).
I was made to feel like a criminal.
(ditransitive, second object is a verb, can be stressed for emphasis or clarity) To force to do.
Don’t let them make you suffer.
(ditransitive, of a fact) To indicate or suggest to be.
His past mistakes don’t make him a bad person.
(of a bed) To cover neatly with bedclothes.
(law enforcement) To recognise, identify, spot.
To arrive at a destination, usually at or by a certain time.
We should make Cincinnati by 7 tonight.
To proceed (in a direction).
Make for the hills! It's a wildfire!
To cover (a given distance) by travelling.
To move at (a speed).
The ship could make 20 knots an hour in calm seas.
To appoint; to name.
To induct into the Mafia or a similar organization (as a made man).
To defecate or urinate.
To earn, to gain (money, points, membership or status).
He didn't make the choir after his voice changed.
To pay, to cover (an expense); chiefly used after expressions of inability.
To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify.
To enact; to establish.
To develop into; to prove to be.
She'll make a fine president.
To form or formulate in the mind.
made a questionable decision
To perform a feat.
make a leap
To gain sufficient audience to warrant its existence.
In the end, my class didn't make, which left me with a bit of free time.
To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; often in the phrase to meddle or make.
To increase; to augment; to accrue.
To be engaged or concerned in.
To cause to be (in a specified place), used after a subjective what.
To take the virginity of.
To have sexual intercourse with.

Synonyms of Making

devising fashioning fabricate notice twig coitizego to bed withsleep withrender

Making synonyms and antonyms →

Making in a Sentence

during the making of the movie

As a child, he didn’t seem like a genius in the making.

a book that was the making of his career

He made as if to punch him, but they both laughed and shook hands.

One swallow does not a summer make.

Two and four make six.

I don’t know what to make of it.

She married into wealth and so has it made.

Did I make myself heard?

I was made to feel like a criminal.

Don’t let them make you suffer.

His past mistakes don’t make him a bad person.

We should make Cincinnati by 7 tonight.

Make for the hills! It's a wildfire!

The ship could make 20 knots an hour in calm seas.

He didn't make the choir after his voice changed.

She'll make a fine president.

made a questionable decision

make a leap

In the end, my class didn't make, which left me with a bit of free time.

Word Forms & Grammar

making (countable and uncountable, plural makings)

making

Origin of Making

Origin 1: From Middle English making, from Old English macung (“making”), equivalent to make +‎ -ing. Cognate with dated Dutch making (“making”), Old High German machunga.

Origin 2: From make + -ing.

Common Questions About Making

Is making a noun or a verb?

Making is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.

What is another word for making?

Close synonyms of making are devising, fashioning and fabricate. See the full list of making synonyms and antonyms.