Refers to something used temporarily as a substitute until the proper thing is available. Often implies a rough or improvised solution.
I used a box as a makeshift substitute for the broken chair.
This is just a stopgap tool, so it might break soon.
I used the broken pole as a makeshift support.
For today, I decided to just get by with a makeshift fix.
Since I was in a hurry, I used an old towel as a stopgap.