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

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

Around a million people fled that area during the conflict and have been living in poor conditions in makeshift camps in Tigray.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 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

After pushing and dragging the planes through mud and slush—“almost carrying them in our hands,” said Larisa Rozanova—the young women got the eight Po-2s onto a makeshift runway made of logs.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein