make someone rich

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make someone rich" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing ways to increase someone's wealth or financial status. For example: "The new investment strategy could make someone rich." Alternative expressions include "enrich someone," "bring wealth to someone," and "make someone wealthy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The tobacco bond idea sounds mostly like a plan to make someone rich on Wall Street.

The New York Times

McCain recently slipped up, joking that it takes $5 million to make someone rich.

The New York Times

And if it were a forgery intended to cause a sensation or make someone rich, why would it have lain in obscurity for so many years?

The New York Times

But in 1997, the astonishing success of Bean, the cinematic adaptation of Mr Bean, proved TV comedies could still provide a rich seam of material – and make someone rich.

The Guardian - Film

Last year, 36.5 million people lived under that poverty threshold, so the $200,000 you claim does not make someone rich could ostensibly provide for even more.

Huffington Post

Wealth is the eye of the beholder, and Americans give a wide range of figures when asked how much income would make someone rich.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

While it seems unarguable that urban growth always make someone richer, it certainly doesn't ensure that this wealth created is distributed fairly.

The Guardian

Circle of Competence and Margin of Safety When you’re trying to determine intrinsic value and margin of safety, there’s no one easy method that can simply be mechanically applied by a computer that will make someone who pushes the buttons rich.

Forbes

Dry holes hurt lenders to wildcatters; a gusher makes someone else rich.

Forbes

Ever make someone bleed?

The New York Times

Ever make someone cry?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing economic policies, use "make someone rich" to critically analyze initiatives that disproportionately benefit specific groups. For example, 'The proposed tax cuts are designed to "make someone rich" at the expense of the middle class.'

Common error

Avoid using "make someone rich" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more neutral and precise terms like 'increase wealth' or 'enhance financial status' to maintain objectivity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make someone rich" primarily functions as a causative expression, indicating an action that results in a person becoming wealthy. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in discussing economic policies or business ventures intended to increase wealth.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make someone rich" is a grammatically sound and relatively common expression, as confirmed by Ludwig, used to describe actions that lead to a significant increase in someone's wealth. While versatile, it is best suited for neutral or slightly informal contexts, and should be used cautiously in formal academic writing where more precise language is preferred. Ludwig's analysis underscores its primary function as a causative expression, often employed in discussions surrounding economic policies and business ventures. The phrase is predominantly found in News & Media sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

enrich someone

Replaces "make rich" with a single verb, offering a more concise expression.

make someone wealthy

Substitutes "rich" with the synonym "wealthy", maintaining the same structure.

increase someone's wealth

Uses a noun-based construction focusing on the increase of wealth.

make someone affluent

Replaces "rich" with "affluent", suggesting a comfortable lifestyle.

bring fortune to someone

Employs "fortune" to emphasize luck and positive financial outcome.

make a fortune for someone

Highlights the creation of a significant amount of wealth.

boost someone's income

Focuses specifically on increasing income rather than overall wealth.

make someone prosperous

Uses "prosperous" to denote a general state of thriving, including financially.

make someone flush with cash

Uses "flush with cash" to mean "having an abundance of money".

make someone a millionaire

Specifies a particular level of wealth attainment.

FAQs

What does it mean to "make someone rich"?

To "make someone rich" means to significantly increase someone's wealth or financial resources, often to a substantial degree.

What are some ways to "make someone rich"?

Various strategies can "enrich someone", including successful investments, business ventures, inheritance, or winning a lottery.

Is it better to say "make someone rich" or "make someone wealthy"?

Both "make someone rich" and "make someone wealthy" are correct and largely interchangeable. The choice often depends on stylistic preference.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "make someone rich"?

Alternatives include "increase someone's wealth", "bring fortune to someone", or "make a fortune for someone", each with slightly different connotations.