make it up

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌmeɪk ɪt ˈʌp/
US: /ˌmeɪk ɪt ˈʌp/

  1. To invent a story or excuse.

    1. I didn't study, so I had to make it up when the teacher asked me. [ ] [ ]
    2. He knew he was in trouble, so he decided to make it up as he went along to avoid punishment. [ ] [ ]

  2. To become friendly again after an argument.

    1. They fought, but they will make it up soon. [ ] [ ]
    2. After days of not speaking, they decided to make it up and be friends again. [ ] [ ]

  3. To compensate for something; to do something good to balance something bad.

    1. I will make it up to you later, I promise! [ ] [ ]
    2. He forgot their anniversary, but he tried to make it up by planning a surprise trip. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

invent reconcile compensate

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "make it up" in English means: To invent a story or excuse., To become friendly again after an argument., To compensate for something; to do something good to balance something bad..

The phonetic transcription of "make it up" is /ˌmeɪk ɪt ˈʌp/ in British English and /ˌmeɪk ɪt ˈʌp/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "make it up": invent, reconcile, compensate.

Example usage of "make it up": "I didn't study, so I had to make it up when the teacher asked me.". More examples on the page.