Synonyms of make out

make out

verb

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

• cope
• do
• make do
• make ends meet
• get along
• get by
• get on
• manage
• survive
• make shift
• fare
• shift
• afford
• carry on
• fend for oneself
• eke out
• scrape (by or through)
• last
• scrounge
• contrive
• scrape (out)
• squeeze
• wring
• wrest
• swing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall short
• fail
• collapse
• decline
• give up
• flounder
• wane
• slump
• fizzle
• peter (out)

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

• understand
• know
• decipher
• see
• recognize
• appreciate
• comprehend
• grasp
• get
• tumble (to)
• realize
• cotton (to or on to)
• catch on (to)
• perceive
• discern
• make
• sense
• pick up on
• conceive
• seize
• dig
• register
• assimilate
• apprehend
• behold
• twig
• catch
• decode
• compass
• intuit
• take in
• grok
• savvy
• cognize
• absorb
• digest
• fathom
• penetrate
• pierce

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• miss
• misunderstand
• mistake
• misread
• misinterpret
• misconstrue
• misperceive
• misconceive
• misapprehend

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

• pretend
• make believe
• make a show
• let on
• make a pretense
• put on an act
• put up a front
• pose
• dissimulate
• dissemble
• act
• play
• put on
• simulate
• affect
• masquerade
• assume
• conceal
• feign
• fake
• impersonate
• profess
• disguise
• camouflage
• sham
• mask
• counterfeit
• playact
• bluff
• feint

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

• derive
• understand
• decide
• conclude
• infer
• think
• deduce
• guess
• reason
• judge
• assume
• extrapolate
• draw a conclusion
• suppose
• speculate
• gather
• read
• ascertain
• find out
• interpret
• surmise
• contemplate
• construe
• rationalize
• conjecture
• philosophize
• dope (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of make out

Plus, it's made out of aluminum for extra durability with long hours of play and accidental drops. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026

The ramps are made out of wood, rather than metal, as metal ramps cost significantly more and require adjustments every three to six months. — Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026

The more than 800,000 structures are mostly made out of light balsa wood, from Manhattan's towering skyscrapers to the humble single-family homes in Queens and landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium and the Brooklyn Bridge. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

The movie is also Focus’ highest grossing movie ever, in addition to being the highest-grossing film acquisition ever made out of a festival. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026