matchmake

M3A1T1C3H4M3A1K5E1

verb

To carry out matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage.

Scrabble 22
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Meanings

verbmatchmake (third-person singular simple present matchmakes, present participle matchmaking, simple past and past participle matchmade)

present singular third person matchmakes · participle present matchmaking · participle past matchmade · past matchmade · alternative match-make

  1. intransitivetransitiveTo carry out matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage.

    We are a couple of old fools to be matchmaking so soon ...

    1876, Louisa May Alcott, Rose in Bloom
    3 more examples

    Why then Foible’s a Bawd, an Errant, Rank, Match-making Bawd.

    1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene xviii, page 49

    And pray remember, I am the last person in the world to match-make.

    1864 August – 1866 January, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, Wives and Daughters. An Every-day Story. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1866, →OCLC

    Not to brag, but I'm kind of responsible for matchmaking you and Irina.

    2002: Alias (TV, episode 2.09)

Origin

From match + make, as a back-formation from matchmaking.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 做媒, 保媒
  • 做媒 (zuòméi)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • 保媒 (bǎoméi)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Finnish välittää naimakauppa, parittaa
  • välittää naimakauppato do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • parittaato do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • naittaato do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
German verkuppeln
  • verkuppelnto do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Korean 중매하다, 중매를 서다
  • 중매하다 (jungmaehada)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • 중매를 서다 (jungmaereul seoda)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Polish swatać, wyswatać
  • swataćto do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • wyswataćto do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Russian сва́тать, сосва́тать
  • сва́тать (svátatʹ)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • сосва́тать (sosvátatʹ)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Spanish emparejar humanamente, emparejar a gente
  • emparejar humanamenteto do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • emparejar a genteto do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Ukrainian сва́тати
  • сва́тати (svátaty)to do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Vietnamese làm mối, làm mai
  • làm mốito do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
  • làm maito do matchmaking: to set up a date between two people or to arrange a marriage
Cite this entry
APA

matchmake. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matchmake

MLA

“matchmake.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matchmake. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “matchmake,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matchmake.

Source: matchmake on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.