make up for
Third Person
makes up for
Present Participle
making up for
Past Tense
made up for
Past Participle
made up for
1
to do something in order to replace something lost or fix something damaged
transitive
- He made up for his absence by bringing her a gift.
- She is trying to make up for her mistake.
- They have made up for their previous disagreements by attending couples therapy.
- He wanted to make up for his late arrival by working extra hours to complete the project on time.
- Giving a heartfelt apology can help make up for the hurtful words that were spoken during the argument.
2
to cover for someone's absence, mistakes, or weaknesses by providing support, alternatives, or doing extra
transitive
- The backup quarterback had to make up for the injured starter and lead the team to victory.
- The intern had to make up for the absent administrative assistant and answer the phones all day.
- In the team's absence, Sarah worked extra hours to make up for her colleagues who were on vacation.