make hay

phrase

: to make use of a situation or circumstance especially in order to gain an advantage
The candidate made hay of his opponent's scandalous behavior.

Examples of make hay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meanwhile, the president met with Netanyahu and Zelensky, the Democrats are making hay over the Iran war, and the Fauci hearing seemed to be a dud. Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026 Those looking to discredit Fauci will surely make hay of these journal entries, which run from December 2019 to December 2022. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 All this was built on a self-deprecating stand-up persona that made hay of middle-aged masculinity. Alison Herman, Variety, 30 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make hay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20hay. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!