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Reading examples of "render" in the sense of "make" in M-W, it occurred to me that "render" is often used in a negative light. For example:

Depression can render a person helpless.
Both passengers were rendered unconscious in the accident.
The sight of her rendered him speechless.
The virus rendered the computer useless.

My assumption:

  1. Render is more formal than Make
  2. Render sth + adj | Make sth + Adj/N
  3. Render sth + [negative adjectives], while Make is neutral.

By this logic, the following sentences are unnatural:

  1. Hey! Get the umbrella! The rain will render you wet. ("render" is overly formal here)
  2. This project would render the chemical an effective medicine. (Suddenly I feel like the adjective "effective" makes this example correct)
  3. The adjective "effective" renders the fifth example correct. ("correct" is positive)

Am I correct?

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    Regarding the negative connotation, you should check your M-W examples again. The last two sentences had a jury rendering a verdict and a motorist stopping to render aid at an accident. A neutral word that can cover both positive and negative contexts.
    – Peter Kirkpatrick
    Commented Jul 30 at 9:46
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    In case you were wondering about this point, I would not substitute make for render in any of your four examples. Doing so would render them odd.
    – Paul Tanenbaum
    Commented Jul 30 at 10:46
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    I think #5 is odd just because "render X Y" can be expanded to "perform an operation on X that leaves in a state of Y," and this example is more like "add property Y to X." We wouldn't say "The Nobel Prize rendered him a Nobel Prize winner."
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Jul 30 at 16:20
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    render is generally used in specific contexts: render someone unconscious, render a verdict, render something inoperative or unnecessary, and render fat. I wouldn't use it in a context beyond the standard cases where it's used.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Jul 30 at 21:09
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    It’s hard to explain why, they just wouldn’t be idiomatic with make. Especially #2. One simply doesn’t say “make someone unconscious.” And make someone speechless also just isn't said. Render someone speechless? Yes. Leave someone speechless? Also yes. But not make.
    – Paul Tanenbaum
    Commented Jul 30 at 23:15

1 Answer 1

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Yes, render is formal/technical, and

No, it doesn't have to imply negativity. I found render it possible, render it habitable as well as your render it effective.

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  • Thank you. What about render not going with [object + noun]? I read somewhere that we can say "make him the head chef", but not "render him the head chef". Is it always this way?
    – An IELTS Learner
    Commented Jul 30 at 9:32
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    Yes, I think so. You 'render someone [adjective]' but you don't 'render someone [into] [a noun]'.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Jul 30 at 10:52

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