in the making

Idioms  

1. In the process of developing or growing, being made, as in The editor believed this election signified history in the making. This term is frequently used to describe the course of events, as in the example. [Mid-1600s]

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Example Sentences

It was a memory that will last a lifetime but one that has been years in the making.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Douglas is a major operator in the making, but the extra muscle the ball-carrying muscle that number eight Magnus Bradbury provides is something that the coach might consider.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

The Dearborn, Mich., automaker last year killed its much-hyped, electric F-150 pickup and tore up an electric-vehicle strategy years in the making.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

AT&T, meanwhile, continues to reap the rewards of a simplification strategy years in the making.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 7, 2026

She knew this was unrealistic, but she was also a grandmother—and part of her hoped her only granddaughter was a genius in the making.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• bare
• incomplete
• unadorned
• undeveloped
• unfulfilled