1
as in to cope
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 to understand
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 to pretend
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 to derive
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 make out
An investigation of bank records found that checks made out from the narcotics program were allegedly deposited into Jacobson’s personal checking account, DCJ officials said.
—
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
But what’s interesting is that the film never tries to make out that Yo herself is a historically significant character.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
But, um, filler words aren’t the villains they’re made out to be.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
But Chapter 13 is not always the clean break it's made out to be, and there are some downsides to taking this path.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make out
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
But what’s interesting is that the film never tries to make out that Yo herself is a historically significant character.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
But, um, filler words aren’t the villains they’re made out to be.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
But Chapter 13 is not always the clean break it's made out to be, and there are some downsides to taking this path.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make out
Verb
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To cope, Sesko practices box-breathing to calm himself, a technique involving four four-second phases of breathing in, holding your breath before exhaling, and then holding again.—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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These chews are made to help dogs cope with their everyday stress and hyperactivity; ideal for fireworks, storms or car rides.—
Jessica Moore,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Avtar apparently had difficulty understanding the man and, by phone, called another man who lives at the temple to help translate, Deep said.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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The documents are not organized to help readers understand their context.—
Amy Wallace,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Buffs, who open spring ball Monday, are full-speed ahead at pretending 2025 didn’t happen — so much so, in fact, that nearly half the roster, both coordinators and a chunk of the coaching staff are brand new.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
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Kate Moss, Anok Yai, and Alex Consani were just three of the many famous names who walked down the runway, holding pretend cigarettes and real bags at the crook of their elbow — just like Paris Hilton, who sat front row next to her sister Nicky, did in the noughties.—
Elektra Kotsoni,
Vogue,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Iran derives its power from an effective intelligence service that exploits the weakness of its neighbors, a ballistic missile program that holds every country in the region at risk and a network of militia proxies.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
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The formula leans on fatty acids derived from castor oil to help hydrate the scalp and reinforce each strand, creating a good foundation for volume.—
Michelle Rostamian,
Allure,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In response to a market-moving piece of dystopian fan fiction fearmongering about AI, Citadel Securities put out its own brief on the historical precedent for AI’s impact and the improbability that the technology will render humans unemployable any more than the typewriter or the internet did.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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More than 20 states currently have agreements with the agency permitting them to do so; Landry, the Louisiana Secretary of State, highlighted that SAVE had been used in her state’s ongoing investigation.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes a provider’s NPI is used without their knowledge or consent, a crime known as NPI theft that is commonly committed to facilitate Medicaid fraud.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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Defense attorney David Patton said that a different Homeland Security Investigations office in Baltimore knew of the traffic stop two years earlier but had never charged Abrego Garcia and closed the investigation after his March 2025 deportation.—
TRAVIS LOLLER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Carrick ignored it, deciding not to change a formula up front that has ended up producing five wins and a draw from his first six matches back in the dugout.—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The courtroom erupted as the judge and lawyers tried to decide which charges Cox was self representing, and who needed to receive the motions.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kentridge coauthored a previous study on artifacts from the same period that bear similar markings, in which researchers attempted to decipher the meaning of the signs.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
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Artificial intelligence chipmaker Nvidia on Wednesday announced another quarter of astounding quarterly growth as investors try to decipher whether technology’s latest craze is overblown hyperbole or a springboard into a new era of prosperity and productivity.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Make out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make%20out. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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