be the making of

Idioms

Be the means or cause of progress or success, as in Marriage will be the making of him. This idiom, using making in the sense of “advancement,” was first recorded about 1470.

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.

Mikel Arteta said Ethan Nwaneri's loan move to Marseille on Friday will be the making of the 18-year-old.

From Barron's

This week in Manchester could be the making of India's new skipper.

From BBC

After that promising run of form, it seemed like last season would be the making of De Ligt.

From BBC

But that approach also proved to be the making of him as first minister, showing a stark contrast in style to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

From BBC

While much has been written about Simon's racy spate of album covers, her songs themselves proved to be the making of her career, with wide-ranging themes about the nature of post-1960s womanhood during an era marked by women's lib and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023