Meaning & Origin

“Make a splash” means to draw strong attention or cause a stir — often when something debuts or appears for the first time. The image is of a large splash of water that everyone notices.

Pronunciation Guide

• make — rhymes with “cake.”
• a — often a quick “uh.”
• splash — sounds like “splash,” short and crisp.
• Natural rhythm: MAKE a SPLASH.

Usage & Sentence Examples

Use it for debuts, launches, or moments that get lots of attention.

• Her first novel made a splash with critics.
• The new café made a splash on opening weekend.
• Their charity video made a splash on social media.
• The startup made a splash at the expo with a live demo.
• Bright sneakers made a splash on the runway this season.
• His keynote joke made a splash and warmed up the room.

Synonyms

make waves · cause a stir · get noticed · turn heads · make headlines · draw attention