create

1 of 2

verb

cre·​ate krē-ˈāt 

ˈkrē-ˌāt

created; creating

transitive verb

1

: to bring into existence

… God created the heaven and the earth.

—Genesis 1:1 (King James Version)

2

a

: to invest with a new form, office, or rank

She was created a lieutenant.

b

: to produce or bring about by a course of action or behavior

Her arrival created a terrible fuss.

create new jobs

3

: cause, occasion

Famine creates high food prices.

4

a

: to produce through imaginative skill

create a painting

b

: design

creates dresses

intransitive verb

1

: to make or bring into existence something new

an artist who is good at imitating but not at creating

2

: to set up a scoring opportunity in basketball

create off the dribble

create

2 of 2

adjective

archaic

: created

Synonyms

Verb

• beget
• breed
• bring
• bring about
• bring on
• catalyze
• cause
• do
• draw on
• effect
• effectuate
• engender
• generate
• induce
• invoke
• make
• occasion
• produce
• prompt
• result (in)
• spawn
• translate (into)
• work
• yield

Examples of create in a Sentence

Verb

Several new government programs were created while she was governor.

The President has announced a plan to create new jobs.

the scientists who created the world's first atomic bomb

The machine creates a lot of noise.

It can be hard to create a balance between work and family.

She creates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for her guests.

The advertisements are intended to create demand for the product.

I've been creating music for over 30 years.

She enjoys creating new dishes by combining unusual ingredients.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The first order of business in the House is its constitutional obligation to elect its speaker, a process that has created high drama in recent years as Kevin McCarthy took 15 ballots to ultimately seize the gavel at the beginning of the 118th Congress. —Lauren Peller, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025

The goal was to create a more agile and cost-effective organization, better positioned to pursue Meta's long-term vision and improve its financial performance. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025

Japanese euonymus are also quite adaptable to large urns and planters outdoors, where they can be pruned to fill out and create formal-looking evergreens. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2025

And the best part is that creating your own kokedama is wonderfully beginner-friendly. —Maya Chawla, Architectural Digest, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English createn, borrowed from Latin creātus, past participle of creāre "to bring into being, beget, give birth to, cause to grow," causative derivative from the base of crēscere "to come into existence, increase in size or numbers, grow" — more at crescent entry 1

Adjective

Middle English creat, borrowed from Latin creātus, past participle of creāre "to bring into being, beget, give birth to, cause to grow" — more at create entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing create

• cause/create/leave a vacuum
• co-create
• re-create

Kids Definition

create

verb

cre·​ate

krē-ˈāt,

ˈkrē-ˌāt

created; creating

: to bring into existence : make, produce