make a difference

idiom

: to cause a change : to be important in some way

Cost can make a difference in deciding on a college.

Your help made a big difference.

It may not matter to you, but it makes a world of difference to me.

: to do something that is important : to do something that helps people or makes the world a better place

She says that she got into politics because she wanted to make a difference.

Examples of make a difference in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Ain't nothing really gonna make a difference, Micah is gonna play hard. —

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024 Why laughter matters Simple and actionable steps to add more smiles to your life can make a difference. —

Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024 That can make a difference for how these forecasts can be used in the real world (to assess how much wind power will be available, for instance). —

Justine Calma, The Verge, 7 Dec. 2024 Empower parents to make a difference in their role. —

Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for make a difference

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“Make a difference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20difference. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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