make due

USAGE SUMMARY

"make due" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a phrase which means to make do with what is available, typically when what is available is not ideal. For example, "We don't have enough chairs for all the guests, but we'll have to make due with what we have."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So they make due by hustling, helping and rotating.

The New York Times - Sports

The bottom line is we have to make due with what we have".

The New York Times - Sports

But he said some people try to make due with less.

The New York Times

Just make due with the freezer-burned half pint of Chunky Monkey and rewatch "Arrested Development".

The New Yorker

It explicitly states that America can make due with a smaller nuclear force.

The Washington Post

Once we were operational, we had to make due with the limited resources we had.

The New York Times

"I find this a step backwards that will make due diligence and catching fraudsters harder.

The New York Times

Instead I was obliged to make due with his distressing take-home message: "The universe itself must one day die".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

So Fred just tried to make due with home remedies like numbing his arm with Dixie cups filled with ice.

The New York Times

Our orchestra has to make due with relatively modest help from a lot of pretty small businesses".

The New York Times - Arts

The barbarity of stoning aside, Iran's legal codes are studded with inconsistencies and vagaries that make due process virtually impossible.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, remember that the more common form of this idiom is "make do". While "make due" is understandable, sticking with "make do" will ensure clarity and avoid potential misinterpretations.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "due", which relates to obligations or expected payments, with "do", which means to perform an action. The correct idiom is "make do", meaning to manage with what is available.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make due" (though often intended as "make do") functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of managing or coping with limited resources. As Ludwig AI confirms, the intent is usually "make do".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

21%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "make due" appears in writing, it is typically intended to be the idiom "make do", which means to manage with what is available. Ludwig AI clarifies that its AI recognizes this common intent. Though "make due" is understandable, using "make do" ensures clarity and avoids potential confusion. The phrase is versatile, appearing in news, scientific, and business contexts, emphasizing the importance of resourcefulness and adaptability. Remember to prioritize "make do" for clearer and more grammatically correct communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make do

Slightly more common and often considered the standard form of the idiom.

manage with what's available

Focuses on resourcefulness and adapting to current conditions.

cope with limited resources

More formal and emphasizes the challenge of dealing with scarcity.

get by with less

Highlights the act of surviving or functioning with reduced means.

stretch resources

Focuses on maximizing the use of available resources.

make the best of a bad situation

Broader in scope, referring to any unfavorable circumstance, not just resource limitations.

make shift

Implies creating a temporary or makeshift solution.

scrape by

Implies a struggle to survive with barely enough.

improvise

Focuses on creating or adapting solutions on the spot, often due to lack of preparation.

use ingenuity

Emphasizes cleverness and inventiveness in overcoming limitations.

FAQs

What does "make due" mean?

The phrase "make due" (though often written as "make do") means to manage or cope with limited resources or less than ideal circumstances. It implies resourcefulness and adaptation.

Is "make due" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "make due" is less common. The preferred and grammatically correct form is "make do". Using "make do" will ensure clearer communication.

How can I use "make due" in a sentence?

You can use "make due" (or "make do") in a sentence like this: "We don't have all the equipment we need, but we'll have to make due with what we have."

What are some alternatives to "make due"?

Some alternatives to "make due" include "cope with limited resources", "manage with what's available", and "get by with less".