make out

verb

made out; making out; makes out

transitive verb

1

: to complete (something, such as a printed form) by supplying required information

make out a check

2

: to find or grasp the meaning of

tried to make out what had really happened

3

: to form an opinion or idea about : conclude

how do you make that out

4

a

: to represent as being

made them out to be losers

b

: to pretend to be true

made out that he had never heard of me

5

: to represent or delineate in detail

6

: to see and identify with difficulty or effort : discern

make out a ship through the fog

intransitive verb

1

: get along, fare

how are you making out with the new job

2

a

: to engage in sexual intercourse

b

: neck sense 1

Synonyms

• cope
• do
• make do
• make ends meet
• get along
• get by
• get on
• manage

Examples of make out in a Sentence

we're not rich, but we're making out all right

I can't quite make out what she is trying to say.

Recent Examples on the Web

Davila-Alvarez said the decision to follow her daughter was not made out of paranoia but from practicality—and love. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

However, they are typically made out of clay and rarely found made of raw stone like limestone, sandstone or marble. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025

Everyone makes out, but my favorite part is that Amaya is too busy gassing Iris up to remember that Iris is meant to be competition. —Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 18 June 2025

The most troubling of which allows the speaker to effectively control which bills, amendments and motions even make out of the Rules Committee. —Matt Paprocki, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for make out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

make out

verb

1

: to draw up in writing

make out a shopping list

2

: understand sense 1a

how do you make that out

3

: to represent as being

made her out a hero

4

: to see and identify with difficulty

make out a form in the fog

5

: succeed sense 2

make out well in business

6

: to engage in kissing and petting