⚖️ An added weight ➕ An unimportant addition

makeweight

9.5

A person or thing added to reach a needed total but not very important

noun
/ˈmeɪkˌweɪt/

Offensive

: relleno (despectivo)

In the negotiation, she provided a small donation as a makeweight to secure the larger agreement.

Examples

Their usefulness, if the plan is a serious proposition, would be as a makeweight for the numbers gone.

Academic text (2000)
The politician used the young volunteers as a makeweight to enhance his party's public image.
As a legal matter, incremental decisions are not really surprising—though politically motivated people (like possibly that Prospect writer) often treat them as makeweight.

Blog text (3)
Although he seemed unimportant, her friend was included as a makeweight in the proposal to meet the quorum.

Synonyms

filler

vsmakeweight

12 3.9

A substance used to fill cracks, holes, or gaps in things

is added mainly to complete a number or quota and is less important

mere fodder

vsmakeweight

Offensive

8.4

People or ideas others use as unimportant material

is added to reach required totals rather than being exploited for tasks

Antonyms

core

468 3.2

The most important central part of something

essential

50 2.4

Things you need for a purpose, like food or water

How Important

key player

40 3.2

useful

947 1.0

makeweight

Offensive

9.5

filler

12 3.9

token

5 6.7

Surface Forms

makeweight singular

makeweights plural

Morphology

makeweight = make + weight (semi-transparent) = make + weight

The figurative sense (a person or item added to fill out numbers) is a metaphorical extension of the literal compound, so the relation is clear but somewhat idiomatic.

Etymology

Makeweight comes from the simple idea of make + weight and gives a clear picture: it is something or someone you add to 'make up the numbers', often as a small, not very important extra, which is why the word now means a filler or unimportant addition.