If you use make due rather than make do in your writing, you might be giving yourself away as a reader of Victorian or early 20th century American novels.

Make do means to “persevere through difficult times,” as in When dad lost his job, mom said, ‘We’ll just have to make due with just my income for a bit.’”

Make due is considered a misspelling of make do. A perfect demonstration of how language evolves, make due actually was the preferred spelling until the 1940s. If you want to use this spelling in a letter or diary entry that a character in a historical novel set between 1800-1949, then you’re okay.

In the 21st century, though, make do is the way to go in your writing.