makeshift

noun

make·​shift ˈmāk-ˌshift How to pronounce makeshift (audio)
Synonyms of makeshiftnext
: a usually crude and temporary expedient : substitute
makeshift adjective

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for makeshift

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply.

resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Examples of makeshift in a Sentence

when his belt broke, he was forced to use string as a makeshift

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of makeshift was in 1766

Dictionary Entries Near makeshift

make sense

makeshift

make short/quick/light work of

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Cite this Entry

“Makeshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/makeshift. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

makeshift

noun
make·​shift ˈmāk-ˌshift How to pronounce makeshift (audio)
: a temporary replacement : substitute
makeshift adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on makeshift

Nglish: Translation of makeshift for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of makeshift for Arabic Speakers

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