Make up or makeup?
make up is a verb meaning “To constitute, to compose”; makeup is a noun meaning “An item's composition”. Use make up as a verb and makeup as a noun. make up is written as two words and makeup as one word; they are used differently.
What is the difference between make up and makeup?
| make up | makeup | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | verb, noun, adjective | noun, verb |
| Meaning | To constitute, to compose To constitute the components of a whole Made-up, false, imaginary, fabricated | An item's composition Cosmetics; colorants and other substances applied to the skin to alter its appearance |
| Example | He can make up the time next week | To understand how a nuclear reactor works, we must first look at its makeup |
| Forms | make-ups, make-upping, make-uping, make-upped, make-uped | makeups |
| Pronunciation | /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/ /mæɪkˈɐp/ | /ˈmeɪkʌp/ |
| In writing | not counted (the list counts single words) | 25 times per million words |
Sources: make up and makeup in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of make up and makeup
make up
- 1
To constitute, to compose
- 2
Alternative form of makeup
- 3
Alternative spelling of makeup. See usage notes there
- 4
Made-up, false, imaginary, fabricated
- 5
To constitute the components of a whole
- 6
informalOf or relating to a reconciliation
Joe and Joanne had a big fight, and then apologized and had incredible make-up sex
- 7
To compensate for (a deficiency, defect, etc.); to supply (something missing)
He can make up the time next week
- 8
To compensate (for)
What I lack in patience, I make up for in drive
makeup
- 1
An item's composition
To understand how a nuclear reactor works, we must first look at its makeup
- 2
Alternative form of make up (“(ambitransitive) to put makeup on (someone or something)”)
- 3
Cosmetics; colorants and other substances applied to the skin to alter its appearance
She is wearing a lot of makeup
- 4
Replacement; material used to make up for the amount that has been used up
- 5
A test given to students allowing them to repeat failed material
- 6
In a NIMCRUT, an amount distributed from the trust's income in subsequent years to make up for a present shortfall
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, make up or makeup?
make up is a phrase, which the list of single words does not count; makeup 25 times per million words.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).