make a difference

1. Be important, matter, as in Her volunteer work made a difference in many lives . The antonym of this usage is make no difference , as in It makes no difference to me if we go immediately or in an hour . This usage appeared long ago in slightly different versions. Miles Coverdale's translation of the Bible of 1535 had it is no difference , and the converse, it makes great difference , was first recorded about 1470.

2. Also, make the difference . Cause a change in effect, change the nature of something, as in His score on this test will make the difference between passing and failing , or These curtains sure make a difference in the lighting .

3. Distinguish or discriminate. This phrase appears in the Bible (Leviticus 11:47): “To make a difference between the unclean and the clean.” [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

And in the flat afterwards, he starts to pour all the booze down the sink, which I’ve heard so many people do just out of desperation, even though you know it’s not going to make a difference.

From Los Angeles Times

The team hopes their work can make a difference in the lives of individuals still at risk.

From Science Daily

Vance, who said he was busy interviewing candidates for federal office under a Trump administration in a now-deleted tweet, rushed back after the procedural vote to oppose the confirmation itself, but it was too late to make a difference.

From Salon

"Designing trees into streets early, and then figuring out win-win solutions to get in utilities and traffic access, is one of the big changes we need to make a difference."

From Science Daily

Shifting our diets to be more sustainable can be a powerful way for each of us to address both climate change and global food insecurity, however making such adjustments at the large scales necessary to make a difference globally can be a delicate matter.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• affect
• count
• imply
• involve
• mean
• signify