makeshift

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For decades, small grooves on ancient human teeth were thought to be evidence of deliberate tool use – people cleaning their teeth with sticks or fibers, or easing gum pain with makeshift “toothpicks.”

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

One, a pediatric ER doctor, wrapped his arm in a makeshift tourniquet and stuffed the wound to staunch the bleeding while others called for help.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

The port became known as the "dock of shame" after more than 2,500 migrants slept there in the open or under makeshift shelters during a surge in arrivals in 2020.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Food was served in a parking lot and a Turkish restaurant was turned into a makeshift office.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

She serves almost every role she can at the makeshift church too—she reads burial prayers for the dead, she rings the bells, she teaches the principles of the Catholic faith.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly