make a difference

1. To have some effect on something; to cause a change. Will it make a difference if I add the salt before or after I heat up the soup? I don't think it will make a difference if we're five minutes late.

2. To have an impact, especially in a positive way. Graduates, you can make a difference in this world. You can reshape the future! He probably doesn't know it, but his kindness to us as kids really made a difference.

make a, no, some, etc. ˈdifference (to/in somebody/something)

have an effect/no effect on somebody/something: The rain didn’t make much difference to the game. ♢ Your age shouldn’t make any difference to whether you get the job or not. ♢ Changing schools made a big difference to my life.

make a, no, some, etc. difference

make a difference

make a, no, some, etc. ˈdifference (to/in somebody/something)