to make good
70
3.9
- phrasal verb
- /meɪk ɡʊd/
:
cumplir
- Using our independence to make good on the promise of meaningful education.
- make good on promises
- make good on a threat
- make good on campaign promises
Examples
-
He always makes good on a promise.
-
In truth, he was building himself a nest egg so he could make good on his deluxe retirement plan.
-
I wanna make good on our original deal, but I need a favor first.
-
But first he had to make good on his promise to the guard.
Fiction book (1995) -
I have the ability to make good grades in my major classes.
Academic text (2015) -
Communism now promised to take up that broken promise and make good on it.
Academic text (1996) -
The steward informs me... that you may not have sufficient funds to make good your account, sir.
-
Clinton's tense relationship with the military hampered his ability to make good on a number of campaign promises.
Academic text (2007) -
Giuliani effectively mortgaged a portion of the city's future economic growth to make good on promises to city workers.
Academic text (2005) -
Randy remains determined to make good on a promise he made to his brother.
Synonyms
265
2.8
To do what is required or promised
36
4.1
Keep a promise or pay what you owe
12
3.8
To give what was promised or expected
7
4.4
Do what you promised in an agreement
5
2.5
Do what you say you will do for someone
4
3.9
To do what was promised and get the expected result
1
3.7
To do what is expected and give the results needed
1
3.2
Act responsibly because your role or job needs it
Antonyms
How Reliable
- Informal
4
3.9
70
3.9
218
3.4
16
2.6
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'make' (to perform/do) and 'good' (right/satisfactory) give a loose clue—suggesting putting something right or ensuring it is satisfactory—but the conventional sense 'fulfil a promise/compensation' is a metaphorical, conventionalised use often occurring as 'make good on (something)'. A B1 learner who knows the words might guess a general idea of ‘putting something right’ but would be unlikely to derive the specific sense 'fulfil a commitment' without prior exposure.
Etymology
The verb make good may come from the simple image of make something good again, like fixing a broken roof or paying money to set things right. That's why to make good on a promise means 'to do what you promised'.