To invent a story or excuse; to reconcile after a quarrel; to constitute or form a whole; or to apply cosmetics.
Invent something that isn't true; stop fighting with someone; form a total amount; put on cosmetics.
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To invent a story, excuse, or lie, especially to deceive someone.
"He made up an elaborate story about why he was late."
I didn't make it up. Everything I told you is true.
— Gone Girl, dir. David Fincher, 2014
To resolve a quarrel and return to friendly relations.
"After their argument, the siblings made up and hugged each other."
To form or constitute a whole or a percentage of something.
"Women make up more than half of the university's student population."
Immigrants make up a large share of the essential workforce.
— The New York Times, April 2020
To apply cosmetics to the face.
"She made herself up carefully before the job interview."
Extremely high-frequency and polysemous. The 'constitute' sense is often passive ('women make up 50% of the workforce'). The cosmetics sense functions as a noun ('make-up') as well as a verb.
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