1
as in coping
to meet one's day-to-day needs
we're not rich, but we're making out all right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I can't quite make out what she is trying to say
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pretending
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
he tried to make out that he didn't mind losing his job, but friends suspected he was desperately worried
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in deriving
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
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Recent Examples of making out
After the fundraiser, sweet young couple Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) are making out by the tennis courts, fantasizing about one day having a family, when their boss, Janet (Michole Briana White), asks them to drop off Josh’s wallet at his house.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
By the end, the vibe had apparently gotten away from him slightly — a couple in the audience was making out.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Well, Gomez ended up making out with him that very night, his Armani jacket draped casually over her shoulders.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case, citing North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibit prosecutors from making out-of-court statements on pending cases.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
The subsequent episode—in which Sullivan, who had a serious boyfriend at home, is seen making out with one of the men—framed the incident as a simple case of infidelity.
—Judy Berman, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
In November, a judge rejected Nathan’s request to close off the courtroom and impose a gag order, which limits attorneys and investigators from making out-of-court statements about the case.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
As promoted, DJs Sophia Ziskin, Bea Hardy and Bryndon Cook had the room sweaty and dancing and, duh, making out.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 15 Feb. 2026
Thinking about making out more and disco-ing all night long this year?
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
By the end, the vibe had apparently gotten away from him slightly — a couple in the audience was making out.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Well, Gomez ended up making out with him that very night, his Armani jacket draped casually over her shoulders.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case, citing North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibit prosecutors from making out-of-court statements on pending cases.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
The subsequent episode—in which Sullivan, who had a serious boyfriend at home, is seen making out with one of the men—framed the incident as a simple case of infidelity.
—Judy Berman, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
In November, a judge rejected Nathan’s request to close off the courtroom and impose a gag order, which limits attorneys and investigators from making out-of-court statements about the case.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
As promoted, DJs Sophia Ziskin, Bea Hardy and Bryndon Cook had the room sweaty and dancing and, duh, making out.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 15 Feb. 2026
Thinking about making out more and disco-ing all night long this year?
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for making out
Verb
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Along the way, the newshound nurtured a personal passion for writing poetry as an outlet for coping with homesickness and stress.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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And coping with the disease has reignited her own Christian faith practice.—
Abby Roedel,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Watching the trajectory of the baseball and knowing Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill’s ability to rob would-be homers — plus the uncertainty of how well balls fly during night games at Petco Park — Crow-Armstrong figured Merrill would come down with the baseball.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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And there’s judgment — knowing when to act, when to wait, and what action actually fits the situation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Because good ex-etiquette isn’t about pretending the past didn’t happen.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
26 Apr. 2026
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At this point, the NFL is not even pretending the draft is about the handful of prospects sitting in the green room.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, a jury found Geisy Rodriguez Brito, 33, of Royal Palm Beach, guilty of human trafficking and unlawful use of a two-way communications device but not guilty of deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution or witness tampering.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
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The very legitimacy of deriving general principles from the particulars of experience can never be established from experience without already having the principle in hand.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Foo Fighters, pretty much the definition of a major international 21st century rock band, is doing a pop-up show in Bridgeport.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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What Laura is doing is really important, but other things are really important to her.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Signs of a stroke can be identified by sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; issues with eyesight; loss of balance, dizziness, and difficulty walking; and severe headache with no identifiable cause.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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This diversity has huge implications for understanding galactic evolution.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Consult with two or three other legal representatives before deciding whom to use.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
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Brown, however, opted against inserting McBride into the starting lineup, instead deciding to stick with Bridges, who is averaging just seven points on 25% shooting from 3-point range this series.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The study creates new criteria for deciphering old dice and allows archaeologists to further explore how games have evolved over time, researchers say.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
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The clicks are part of a growing sperm whale phonetic alphabet that researchers at CETI are deciphering.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Making out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/making%20out. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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