makes out

Definition of makes outnext
present tense third-person singular of make out
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as in derives
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information as best as I can make out, the police were informed of the incident but didn't think it was worth investigating

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of makes out Even Fraser makes out with Rainbeau and Damo. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for makes out
Verb
  • Our awkward hero copes with grief through humor while navigating relationships with her type-A sister (Sian Clifford), her nasty stepmother (Olivia Colman), and, in season 2, a hot priest (Andrew Scott).
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
  • New secrets about the city’s origins arise, and the social structure struggles as the bunker copes with fallout from last season.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Hundreds of miles away from Patriots headquarters, a franchise legend who knows Jacas well gave his stamp of approval.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Farley knows firsthand the capability of the Chinese car industry.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In one snap, the foursome laughs as Crown Prince Christian pretends to grab his younger brother's neck.
    Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
  • This team is improved, has a deeper roster, no longer pretends Kris Bryant is a major league player and features more functional pitchers (No, seriously).
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The name Business Wire likely derives from the terms news wires or wire services, which recall the mid-19th-century method of dispatching news via telegraph, sending electrical signals via wire across great distances.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Destined to delight Herzog fans for its offbeat ruminations on the evolution of creativity, the movie also derives ample philosophical weight from the sheer beauty and inherent mystery of the subject at hand.
    Eric Kohn, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That is exactly what this film cleverly does — pinpoints the insidious nature of far-right movements and the creeping rhetoric that has polluted our society.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Corey Scher is a postdoctoral researcher at the Conflict Ecology laboratory at Oregon State University, which does satellite monitoring in conflict zones.
    Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mayor Mamdani understands the deadly seriousness of the task ahead.
    Jonathan Lippman, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The film fully understands what genre fans come to the platform for — strong scares, spooky atmosphere and a wild ride.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Whatever the team decides, Lomu sounds happy to oblige.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • If two of the richest companies in the world are racing to control the sky, who decides how that access is priced and delivered?
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The appointment recognizes academic excellence and fosters international collaboration through short-term exchange programs, a release said.
    Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Vargo was recently honored with the Eagle Excellence Award for Cross Country, which recognizes students who made a positive impact on campus, within their teams and in the community.
    Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Makes out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/makes%20out. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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