make do with meaning and examples thumbnail

make do with meaning and examples

2025-09-20

Meaning

  • Make do with means to manage or survive using something that is not ideal or not enough, but still workable.
  • It expresses the idea of coping with limited resources or accepting what is available.

Grammar and Usage

  • Pattern: make do with + noun
  • Part of speech: phrasal verb
  • Usage: Used when someone has to use or accept something less than what they wanted or expected.

Examples of structure:

  • We’ll have to make do with what we have.
  • She made do with an old laptop until she could buy a new one.

Common Phrases

  • make do with less
  • make do with what you’ve got
  • make do with second-hand items
  • make do with leftovers

Collocations

  • make do with money
  • make do with resources
  • make do with food
  • make do with old equipment

Examples

  1. We didn’t have enough chairs, so some people had to make do with stools.
  2. He forgot his pen, so he had to make do with a pencil.
  3. During the power outage, they made do with candles.
  4. She wanted fresh vegetables, but had to make do with canned food.
  5. The children made do with simple toys and still had fun.
  6. He didn’t have the right tool, so he made do with a screwdriver.
  7. They couldn’t afford a new car, so they made do with their old one.
  8. We’ll just have to make do with what’s in the fridge tonight.
  • cope with
  • manage with
  • get by with
  • settle for

Antonym

  • insist on
  • demand
  • refuse to settle