made
Americanverb
adjective
idioms
verb
adjective
-
artificially produced
-
(in combination) produced or shaped as specified
handmade
-
informal to be assured of success
-
very rich
Usage
What is a basic definition of made? Made is the past tense and past participle of the verb make, meaning to create from materials. As an adjective, made describes something as being built or fashioned in a certain way or something that is guaranteed to have success or good fortune in the future. Made has a few other senses as an adjective. Made is a past tense verb that means to have been produced, fashioned, or built out of materials or components.
- Real-life examples: Many products are made in China. Toys, electronics, furniture, and many other things are made in factories. Spider webs are made by spiders.
- Used in a sentence: Maria’s kids made a big mess in the living room.
- Used in a sentence: The bridge was well made and lasted for centuries.
- Used in a sentence: With her hundreds of servants to wait on her, Lori’s got it made!
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of made
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Explanation
Something that's made is created, crafted, or invented, A locally made blanket is crocheted or woven in your state or region. You'll most often find the adjective made in combination with another word, like hand, U.S., or sustainably. A hand-made quilt, for example, is sewn without a machine. A made bed, on the other hand, is one that's got its sheets tucked in and blankets pulled neatly up, and a "made man" is a guy whose future success is all settled.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thomas Priselac, then-president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, made $8.8 million in fiscal year 2024, according to the organization’s most recent available federal tax filing.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
The buzz: Qatar made its World Cup debut four years ago and became the first host to exit the tournament without a point, losing all three group-play games by two goals each.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
The thing is, Pratt made some strong points about the inefficiencies of L.A.’s political status quo and the outrage that is having tens of thousands of people live on our streets.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
She calls her garden a work in progress, and although she has suffered failures along the way, she values the friendships she has made outside her front door.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
All the countertops are made of Italian marble, her kitchen is state-of-the-art in every way, and I swear a family of forty could fit into any one of her five bathrooms.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
