made
made — verb
1. The form of the verb "make" used when talking about something that happened or w
The form of the verb "make" used when talking about something that happened or was created at an earlier time. It covers all past situations — single events, repeated actions, and conditions that were true in the past.
Aylin made a beautiful clay vase in her pottery class last week.
simple past: made + object
The wedding cake was made by Nikhil using his grandmother's secret recipe.
passive: be made by [person]
Gabriel has already made the dinner reservations for Friday evening.
The loud noise from the street made Hugo jump from his chair.
Yan made a heartfelt promise to visit her sick grandmother every weekend.
文法句型
made + object
made + object + adjective
made + object + infinitive (without to)
made + object + noun
用法筆記
Only sense that serves as a grammatical form rather than a separate meaning. Use this form for any past-tense or perfect-tense construction of "make."
常見錯誤
made — adjective
1. Created from a person's imagination rather than being true or based on real even
Created from a person's imagination rather than being true or based on real events — for example, a story, name, excuse, or alibi that is not genuine.
The spy used a made name and a false passport to enter the country.
attributive: made + noun (made name)
Experienced detectives can usually spot a made alibi within a few minutes.
The head teacher warned her students that fabricated facts would weaken their reports.
A local journalist was fired for publishing a made story without real sources.
- made-up
far more common in everyday English; interchangeable in most contexts
- fabricated
more formal and suggests deliberate deception
- invented
neutral register, emphasises the act of creation from imagination
文法句型
made + noun (attributive)
be + made (predicative)
用法筆記
This sense often overlaps with "made-up" (the more common form in everyday speech). "Made" alone as an adjective meaning invented is more formal and less frequent outside of fixed expressions like "made story."
常見錯誤
2. Produced by an industrial process, mechanical means, or chemical methods rather
Produced by an industrial process, mechanical means, or chemical methods rather than occurring in nature — covering factory items, processed foods, and synthetic materials.
Paloma bought pre-made pasta from the supermarket instead of making it fresh.
attributive: pre-made pasta — industrially prepared food
Many traditional bamboo baskets have been replaced by made products from overseas factories.
The hardware store sells made goods such as plastic pipes and metal tools.
Stephanie argues that processed ingredients are just as healthy as natural ones in many dishes.
- manufactured
more formal and specific to industrial production
- machine-made
emphasises mechanical rather than manual production
- synthetic
focuses on chemically / artificially created materials
文法句型
made + noun (attributive)
be + of made + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used attributively before nouns (made goods, made products). In modern English, this sense most commonly appears as part of a compound adjective (handmade, factory-made, machine-made) or in the phrase "ready-made."
常見錯誤
3. In a position where success, wealth, or a comfortable life is guaranteed, often
In a position where success, wealth, or a comfortable life is guaranteed, often because of money, connections, or a fortunate turn of events — for example, inheriting property, landing a dream job, or making a lucky business deal.
After his technology company went public, the young founder felt like a made man.
set phrase: made man
Landing the lead role in a Broadway show made the young actress a made woman overnight.
set phrase: made woman
With her inheritance and smart investments, Anna was a made woman by the age of thirty.
The village doctor who inherited the clinic was considered a made man in the community.
- set for life
similar meaning but more explicit about financial security
- successful
broader and less idiomatic, no implication of luck or inheritance
文法句型
be a made man / woman / person
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed expression "a made man" or "a made woman." The phrase implies that success came through fortunate circumstances (inheritance, luck, connections) rather than solely through effort. "A made person" is possible but much less common. Distinguish from sense adjective/2 (MANUFACTURED).
常見錯誤
4. Describes a bed whose sheets, blankets, and pillows have been neatly arranged an
Describes a bed whose sheets, blankets, and pillows have been neatly arranged and smoothed into place, ready for use or to keep a bedroom looking tidy.
The hotel cleaner left a small chocolate on the freshly made bed.
adverb + made: freshly made bed
Lauren forgot to make her bed this morning, so it was not made when she got home.
predicative: be made
A neatly made bed can make a small bedroom look tidy and welcoming.
The children were told they could not watch television until their beds were made.
文法句型
a + adverb + made + bed (attributive)
the bed + be + made (predicative)
用法筆記
By far the most common everyday use of "made" as an adjective. Typically used with adverbs like "freshly," "neatly," "perfectly," or "properly." The opposite is "unmade bed." The verb "make the bed" is the source of this sense.
常見錯誤
5. Attached to the end of a word to show how, where, or by whom something was produ
Attached to the end of a word to show how, where, or by whom something was produced — for example, "handmade" (made by hand), "factory-made" (made in a factory), "custom-made" (made to individual requirements), or "Japanese-made" (made in Japan).
The traveller bought a beautiful handmade scarf from the local market.
handmade — suffix attached to manner adverb
Japanese-made electronics are trusted by millions of consumers around the world.
Japanese-made — suffix attached to place name
Niran prefers custom-made suits that fit his shoulders and arms perfectly.
The factory-made parts were much cheaper but less durable than the original ones.
- -manufactured
more formal alternative suffix, e.g., 'machine-manufactured'
- -produced
alternative suffix with similar meaning, e.g., 'locally-produced'
文法句型
[adverb / place / method] + -made
用法筆記
Not a standalone adjective — it functions as a suffix that combines with another word to form a compound adjective. Common patterns: [method] + -made (handmade, machine-made), [place] + -made (Japanese-made, locally-made), [purpose] + -made (custom-made, purpose-made). Hyphenation is standard.