make do

1 of 2

phrase

: to get along or manage with the means at hand

will just have to make do with what we've got

make-do

2 of 2

adjective

ˈmāk-ˈdü 

: makeshift

make-do noun

Examples of make do in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Phrase

But the show more than makes do with the photography that comes to the fore in a long gallery featuring WPA work by Berenice Abbott and the photojournalist Weegee, as well as the younger street photographer Harvey Wang. — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

His Lamborghini, tragically, has to make do with a $136,000 one. — semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Adjective

The foundational text of Parton’s career, this 1971 single lovingly details her mother’s make-do resilience, stitching a fall coat from scraps of cloth in the spirit of a beloved Bible story. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Chess pie hails from an era of make-do pies. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Phrase

1927, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for make do

• amadou
• avenue
• ballyhoo
• baraboo
• barbecue
• barbeque
• bugaboo
• cabildo
• caribou
• cockatoo
• detinue
• devalue