Made-up means invented or imaginary rather than real or true. When you tell a made-up story, you're creating characters and events from your imagination instead of recounting something that actually happened. Dragons, unicorns, and wizards are made-up creatures that exist in stories but not in the real world.

The term often appears when someone questions whether something is factual. If a friend shares an unbelievable rumor, you might ask, “Are you sure that's not made-up?” Scientists work hard to distinguish between real phenomena and made-up explanations that sound good but lack evidence.

Made-up can also describe appearance, especially someone wearing cosmetics. When someone is “all made-up,” they're wearing makeup like lipstick, foundation, or eyeshadow.

The phrase “make up” has its own meanings too: you can make up a test you missed, make up with a friend after an argument, or make up for a mistake by doing something good. But when something is made-up, it specifically means invented or fabricated.