“Make It Make Sense” Meaning, Usage, & Examples

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Everything you need to know about this humorous phrase

Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA Reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

Last Updated: November 25, 2024 Fact Checked

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Meaning & Usage of “Make It Make Sense”

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“Make It Make Sense” on Social Media

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Origin of “Make It Make Sense”

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Similar Funny Phrases

Have you heard the phrase “make it make sense” – or seen it on TikTok – and wondered what it meant? It’s usually an irreverent way to ask for clarification or to point out how ridiculous a situation is. This article covers the phrase's meaning, how to use it, and where it originated. Read on to learn more about this popular slang term.

What does “make it make sense” mean?

“Make it make sense” is a short, casual way to say, “Explain this in a way that’s logical.” The person saying it wants to jokingly point out an absurd situation. It’s a popular slang phrase on social media and in memes and GIFs.

Section 1 of 4:

Meaning & Usage of “Make It Make Sense”

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“Make it make sense” means someone doesn’t understand something. When a person uses the phrase, “make it make sense,” they're saying that they don’t understand a situation in a casual and irreverent way. The speaker may be genuinely interested in the explanation and want clarification on a point they’re having trouble understanding, but they could also just be making light of the situation with humorous commentary.
- “So we need to report the end of the month sales numbers by Friday, but the end of the month isn’t for another week? Make it make sense.”
- “My phone keeps telling me I’m out of storage, but I deleted all the apps and photos. Make it make sense.”
- “Wait. You pay $50 a month for a gym membership but never go? Make it make sense.”
- “I follow all the advice about how to keep my plants alive, but they’re all dying. Make it make sense.”
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“Make it make sense” is also used to point out a situation's absurdity. In this case, it may seem like the speaker is asking for clarity, but they don’t expect a reasonable explanation (probably because there isn't one). Using “make it make sense” in this context usually involves some level of frustration because the situation is absurd.
- “That concert hall charges a convenience fee for online purchases, but it’s the only way to buy tickets. Make it make sense!”
- “You have a “fresh” fruit section that’s filled with overripe bananas, raisins, and fruitcakes. Make it make sense!”
- “The city just cut down 10 trees to build a park in my neighborhood. Make it make sense.”
- “I just joined a gym because it was open 24/7, but it closes every night for cleaning. Make it make sense.”

Section 2 of 4:

“Make It Make Sense” on Social Media

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“Make it make sense” has become a popular saying, meme, and gif on social media. The phrase is commonly seen on TikTok reels. While the slang term is popular and could be considered a meme on its own, it hasn’t caught on when paired with a specific image.^{[1]
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Research source} People often use it on reels they’ve made of themselves to point out things that don’t make sense to them, like this reel from @treciadp about looking for their cell phone when they’re holding it.
- One example of a GIF being used to make a meme with this phrase features Ryan Gosling and comments on his Academy Award nomination for playing Ken in Barbie, when the movie’s star, Margot Robbie, was not nominated.
- One popular “make it make sense” meme featured Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants and commented on how each ingredient of a cheeseburger is healthy, but a cheeseburger is not.
- Another meme featured Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings and commented about how new cars lose their value when you drive them off the lot after buying by not when test driving.
- GIFs, or short repeating animations, featuring “make it make sense” are also available on sites like Giphy.com and Tenor.com, including ones fro users @Shagarita, @wetv, and @HannahWitton.
The song was released in 2024 on the album Winter’s Diary 5. The lyrics played off the meme by talking about a romantic partner who blows hot and cold. The phrase “make it make sense” is repeated during the chorus to point out how confusing his behavior is.^{[2]
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Podcasters use the title “Making It Make Sense” to play off the meme. One of the podcasts was a series from RealFear Records that focused on explaining how people have contributed to the music industry. A second focused on explaining cryptocurrency and wealth-building. A third discussed problems society faces.
- “Make It Make Sense” was the name of a podcast that covered pop culture, celebrity gossip, and current events.

Section 3 of 4:

Origin of “Make It Make Sense”

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“Make it make sense” is an extension of the phrase “make sense.” “Make sense” is an idiom or phrase with a different meaning than the individual words imply.^{[3]
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Research source} “Make it make sense” is a demand that some make the situation more understandable.
- “Make sense” refers to the ability to understand something. The phrase was first recorded in the 1600s and meant something was understandable or reasonable. It was (and still is) often used as a negative, as in, “That doesn’t make sense.”^{[4]
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- The roots of “make sense” date back to the work of Aristotle. In De Anima, he discussed how humans use all their senses to understand the world around them.^{[5]
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Section 4 of 4:

Similar Funny Phrases

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Use these phrases when asking for clarification. There are many funny, casual ways to ask someone to explain something. Several of them use self-deprecating humor, or humor that makes the joker the butt of the joke. When using humor, make sure to keep your tone light to avoid offending another person. Here are a few phrases you can use to ask someone to explain something to you.
- “Explain it to me like I’m 5.”
- “Say that again using small words.”
- “Hold on, smartypants, I’m not following.”
- “Can you turn this puzzle into a picture?”
- “Can you make this mess a masterpiece for me?”
- “Give me the cheat code.”
- “Explain it like I just came down from Mars.”
- “Repeat that in English.”
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Get more sarcastic when pointing out absurdity. The funny and creative options for pointing out a ridiculous situation tend to be more sarcastic. But they can come out a little sharp if you aren’t careful. Pay attention to your tone when using sarcasm. Then, decide which phrase is right for each situation based on the context.
- “That’s the first stop in crazy town.”
- “This is the dumbest timeline.”
- “Welcome to the Twilight Zone.”
- “Am I taking crazy pills?”
- “This is cartoonishly bad.”
- “This is off-the-charts bizarre.”
- “We’re in a clown show.”
- “Make it add up because I sure can’t.”