Meanings
verbmake waves (third-person singular simple present makes waves, present participle making waves, simple past and past participle made waves)
present singular third person makes waves · participle present making waves · participle past made waves · past made waves
- idiomaticTo cause a disturbance.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo upset the status quo.
Similar
Origin
Derived from disruptions caused by waves in water.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish aiheuttaa kuohuntaa
- aiheuttaa kuohuntaaTo cause a disturbance
French faire des vagues
- faire des vaguesTo cause a disturbance
Polish robić zamieszanie, zrobić zamieszanie
- robić zamieszanieTo cause a disturbance
- zrobić zamieszanieTo cause a disturbance
- robić zamieszanieTo upset the status quo
- zrobić zamieszanieTo upset the status quo
Russian причиня́ть беспоко́йство, наруша́ть споко́йствие
- причиня́ть беспоко́йство (pričinjátʹ bespokójstvo)To cause a disturbance
- наруша́ть споко́йствие (narušátʹ spokójstvije)To cause a disturbance
Spanish malmeter, malquistar
- malmeterTo cause a disturbance
- malquistarTo cause a disturbance
- hacer olasTo upset the status quo
- causar ondasTo upset the status quo
Cite this entry
APA
make waves. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20waves
MLA
“make waves.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20waves. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “make waves,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20waves.
Source: make waves on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.