make good

phrase

Synonyms of make goodnext
1
or make good on : to make valid or complete: such as
a
: to carry out successfully
made good their escape
made good on his promise
b
: indemnify
make good the loss
c
: to make up for (a deficiency)
made good previous neglect of his child
d
: prove
made good a charge
2
: to prove to be capable
also : succeed
The play made good at the box office.

Examples of make good in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The judgment requires Acosta Torres to make good-faith efforts to recover and surrender copies of those documents that might be held by other individuals. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Now, Trump’s Justice Department is seemingly trying to make good on his threats. — Miles Bryan, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026 After stealing a valuable USB drive from a crime family’s son and passing it along, Harry must track it down before the young man’s associates make good on their threats against his wife. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Sitting in first place in the NFC East, the Giants are banking on McCarthy making good on his growing confidence. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for make good

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of make good was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make good.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20good. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on make good

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster