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
That means skateboarding, sneaking beers, making out, looking for trouble, running from trouble and, to judge from the trailer, floating through space.
—
ABC News, 1 May 2026
There’s romance, there's tension, and somehow Johnson and Hathaway end up making out.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
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 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
ABC News, 1 May 2026
There’s romance, there's tension, and somehow Johnson and Hathaway end up making out.
—Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for making out
Verb
-
It’s been a tough week for Braves fans and the Braves organization, coping with the deaths of former team owner Ted Turner on Wednesday, then legendary manager Bobby Cox on Saturday.—
AJC Sports,
AJC.com,
9 May 2026
-
Instead, there is coping and emotional growth for these figures, who, in the third act, provide their elders with an opportunity to come to terms with their own preoccupations and pasts.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Raman and Pratt are right in deeming Bass the old guard of a beat-up city — but the old guard didn’t get there without knowing how to win.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Instead, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division did little to confront the problem despite knowing about it for years, an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press and FRONTLINE (PBS) has found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Online adult platforms are being severely restricted these days as new laws banning materials involving adults pretending to be under 18 are put into place.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 May 2026
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Other highlights from the show included a sketch where Rodrigo and Ben Marshall played a pair of exes pretending to be in new relationships, as well as the latest edition of a recurring sketch about Shop TV hosts selling a product that looks very inappropriate.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Our desire to see each other can remain the same but the means of doing so have to be flexible.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2026
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Just a wonderful man that teaches you lessons, teaches you camaraderie, unity, doing things as a unit, that no one’s different.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The lack of physical evidence presents significant challenges for the field of paleontology in understanding species diversification at specific times and places on Earth.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
In practice, this looks like a provider not only asking about symptoms, but understanding context.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Now, the longtime CEO wakes up to a blank outlook calendar; Hartz sold her company in a $500 million exit, and is deciding on her next chapter in the wake of parting ways with her brainchild.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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Bowman noted the authority is guided by state law and case law in its decisions and deciding what is just and reasonable by a preponderance of evidence.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 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 11 May. 2026.
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