English idiom

make waves

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to cause disruption or draw attention by challenging established expectations

Word picture

Movement in still water is pictured creating waves that spread outward and disturb the surrounding surface.

Example

“Her proposal to publish every expense report made waves across the organization.”

Recorded usage

These full forms were measured in COCA in 2016–2017. Counts apply to the quoted form, not every use of this idiom; overlapping forms are not added together.

“Don't make waves” — 9 recorded occurrences

Grouped source variants; editorially classified here as an idiom. Usage counts are separate from CEFR difficulty.

Dictionary details

Component words

make

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

kiss and make up

to reconcile and become friendly again after an argument

make a splash

to attract considerable public attention by doing something impressive or notable

make a go of

to turn an undertaking into a lasting success

make a killing

to earn a very large amount of money quickly

make a meal of

to devote far too much effort to a task and make it seem needlessly complicated

make or break

to be the single decisive factor between success and failure

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

markdown