Definition of makeup in English:

noun

• 1Cosmetics such as lipstick or powder applied to the face, used to enhance or alter the appearance.

  ‘she came downstairs, her face still white under her heavy makeup’

  with modifier ‘stage makeup’

  as modifier ‘chief makeup artist’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Stage make-up is necessarily heavy, in order to be seen, and seen as natural, by the audience.’
  • ‘Apply your usual foundation make-up or powder to cover any imperfections and even out your skin tone.’
  • ‘Just before going on stage, the make-up lady had dabbed powder on my face.’
  • ‘So she went off into the make-up trailer and my make-up artist came, and said ‘you've got to come, you've got to come’.’
  • ‘All that's missing is a truly fabulous make-up artist to slap the whole lot on.’
  • ‘The invention also relates to a cosmetic care or make-up process for a keratinous material.’
  • ‘His eyes are lined in black eyeliner so perfectly that you'd think that a make-up artist does his make-up.’
  • ‘Her face was made even more pale by her make-up: her black lipstick, and dark eye shadow.’
  • ‘Her eyes were outlined with some heavy make-up and her black nails were two inches longer than usual.’
  • ‘Ever wondered what women who sell cosmetics keep in their make-up bag?’
  • ‘The hairdresser messed up her hair more than it already was while someone else was putting stage make-up on her.’
  • ‘You're better at doing stage make-up than I am.’
  • ‘What I want is a make-up remover that literally lets the make-up float off your face.’
  • ‘Apply layers of pancake make-up, in the style of kabuki theatre.’
  • ‘I left my make-up bag under that, and then I started opening drawers.’
  • ‘If in doubt, arrange a free consultation at a store make-up counter.’
  • ‘I need make-up tips most of all; but anything would be of assistance.’
  • ‘One bizarre addendum to his' performance ' was his extraordinary application of stage make-up.’
  • ‘I made a couple of little girls tremble just by being in my zombie make-up, and that was cool.’
  • ‘"I've noticed when they come to school discos that they wear a bit of glitter make-up.’

  Synonyms

  cosmetics, greasepaint

• 2The composition or constitution of something.

  ‘studying the makeup of ocean sediments’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The important and terrifying thing is what's happening inside the US, to the constitution and make-up of the country.’
  • ‘Geochemistry involves studying the chemical make-up of rocks, the chemistry of water or any geological material.’
  • ‘To the extent that the physical make-up of organisms provides heritable variation, it becomes a malleable clay that can be sculpted by selection.’
  • ‘The structural make-up of Irish employment is changing, with the number of women in paid employment increasing rapidly.’
  • ‘Some features of its make-up were evidences of his goodness and beneficence, while others displayed his displeasure.’
  • ‘Our genetic makeup is indisputably similar to the great apes, our closest relatives.’
  • ‘Stock is right that there are many foolish arguments against altering our genetic makeup.’
  • ‘Another consideration is to have your soil tested to determine its chemical makeup and texture.’
  • ‘Scientists determine the chemical make-up of materials by measuring the wavelengths of light the materials absorb or emit.’
  • ‘Why do our churches not generally reflect the ethnic make-up of the society they are in?’
  • ‘And the makeup of the illegal population is changing to include more women and children.’
  • ‘Also, it paints a very good picture of the make-up of our wintering bird population.’
  • ‘The coming change in the makeup of the English population is unprecedented.’
  • ‘They don't know who the final make-up of the team will necessarily be.’
  • ‘The make-up of the people taking part was far broader and more representative of the general population than had been the case previously.’
  • ‘To what degree do you think that's going to change the social make-up of the people who live right by the coast?’
  • ‘He said it would be a much fairer reflection of the current make-up of the council, in which combined opposition members outnumber Labour.’
  • ‘It is almost certain Ribble Valley would be split up because of its size, shape and rural make-up.’
  • ‘Our loyal repeat participants tell us that one of the most appealing features of our trips is the small size and make-up of the groups.’
  • ‘Hayes stated that he would change the approach and style of play, and all would see a difference in style, make-up of the team and the way they play.’
  • ‘The make-up of the present family is, of course, a different matter.’

  Synonyms

  composition, constitution, configuration, form, arrangement, format, structure, construction, formation, assembly, organization, fabric, framework

  1. 2.1The combination of qualities that form a person's temperament.
     ‘a nastiness that had long been in his makeup’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Philosophy Like science is heavily influenced by the psychological make-up of the person doing the thinking.’
     • ‘The emotional and psychological make-up of a young person can often be forgotten in the rush for top points.’
     • ‘Of equal importance in experiential terms, however, was the psychological make-up of individuals as well as communities and cultures.’
     • ‘Like all Geminis, the personality and mental make-up is highly intelligent and versatile.’
     • ‘A man's personality and mental make-up do have a bearing upon his conduct.’
     • ‘Her psychological and political make-up was based on the proposition ‘I am right.’’
     • ‘The psychological make-up for today's game is fascinating.’
     • ‘His psychological make-up would baffle Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde and every Freudian shrink outside a Woody Allen movie.’
     • ‘The end result was a deep confusion in his psychological make-up.’
     • ‘It is not essentially any failings in Andrew's mental or sporting make-up.’
     • ‘The scope of earning has brought about a sea change in the mental make-up of the women.’
     • ‘There is compelling evidence that an important factor contributing to the development of cancer is the emotional make-up of a person.’
     • ‘The Championship is the true test of both the physical and mental make-up of a team.’
     • ‘There is something deeply twisted in the human make-up that allows them to relate to animals more than people being treated like animals.’
     • ‘We assume that mental ability or disability is a part of an individual's make-up, and therefore that what is congenital is also largely incurable.’
     • ‘Such music can give little clue as to the personality or emotional make-up of its composer in a modern sense.’
     • ‘I tried explaining to them that if they changed this aspect of Sean's make-up they'd also be changing the way he plays the game.’
     • ‘I was a millimetre surprised at this glance into my inner elemental make-up though I really shouldn't have been.’
     • ‘Sadly that element of this great fighter's make-up may well have rendered him liable to the damage that he undoubtedly suffered.’
     • ‘But such lists give us fascinating little windows into the make-up of the composers involved.’
     Synonyms

     character, nature, temperament, temper, personality, disposition, constitution, mentality, persona, psyche, psychology, make, stamp, mould, cast of mind, turn of mind

• 3Printing
  The arrangement of type, illustrations, etc., on a printed page.

  ‘page makeup’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Seamus started his own career as an apprentice compositor, during the days when all page make-up was in hot metal.’
  • ‘Then there was the excitement of starting to do our own page make-up, having bought a Compugraphic typesetting machine.’

  Synonyms

  design, style, presentation, appearance, look

• 4North American A supplementary test or assignment given to a student who missed or failed the original one.

  as modifier ‘Tony has a makeup exam’

  More example sentences

  • ‘A busy teacher of thirty students who allows three make-ups per student, however, is agreeing to ninety make-ups a year!’
  • ‘Some teachers save one Saturday a month for make-ups, and all lessons for the month may be made up only on that day.’
  • ‘Another teacher may say, ‘I have a firm makeup policy and my students all understand it, and I have no problems with make-ups.’’
  • ‘It acknowledges that some students may be experiencing difficulty, so we should be sensitive to their needs - such as allowing make-ups.’
  • ‘Currently, most camps have two office staff members spending the bulk of their days coordinating absences and make-ups!’
  • ‘Drew and I only got to exchange a few words the whole week because of my make-ups and his soccer practices we never got to see each other.’
  • ‘However, the president said yesterday if Nelson submits a medical he would make sure she received a make-up test.’
  • ‘Zoe said that when she went into Miss Ell's class one noon hour to get her make-up assignments, Miss Ell was eating a salad.’
  • ‘If he wasn't, then she knew she'd never be able to garner enough courage to come back for a make-up.’
  • ‘The make-up exam was exactly the same as the original and was administered 12 days after the original exam.’
  • ‘Should a student fail a final exam, he or she is allowed two make-up exams.’
  • ‘Students may study and prepare differently for the initial and make-up exam.’