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
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
Jason then starts making out with Natalie.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
Thinking about making out more and disco-ing all night long this year?
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
These are songs seeking soul, soul mate, maker, making out and mercy.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
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
Jason then starts making out with Natalie.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
Thinking about making out more and disco-ing all night long this year?
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2026
These are songs seeking soul, soul mate, maker, making out and mercy.
—Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for making out
Verb
-
Much of the West has been coping with prolonged drought conditions that are now being worsened by historically low seasonal snowpack and persistent record-breaking temperatures.—
Daniel Manzo,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
As an Iranian American and a university professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, my way of coping is not to deny the harm America has done to my country and region.—
Mehrnoush Soroush,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
It can only be imparted by the example of a wise craftsman in the midst of practicing their craft—knowing exactly how much pressure to apply at what moment, knowing when to press forward and when to hold back.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Probst also notes the necessity of continually evolving game design, creating unexpected twists and advantages to keep players on edge and never knowing whom to trust.—
Pamela Chelin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And in Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Hurt played one of the New York socialites who falls into the web of deceit created by a charismatic young man (Will Smith) pretending to be the son of Sidney Poitier.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2026
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But requiring all 3- or 4-year-olds to participate in a public preschool program or pretending that child care will produce better outcomes for all children doesn’t hold up to the data.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Large language models represent the first technology capable of analyzing, contextualizing and deriving insights from this avalanche of information.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In doing so, a supreme intelligence began to emerge.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, Hall put on late-night shows in the basement of his home and became a popular child magician, earning money by doing his routine at ritzy parties and travelling to magic conventions.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Vera Rubin, an astronomer whose observations of galaxy rotation curves in the 1970s provided the first robust evidence for dark matter's existence, embraced her Jewish faith as a guide to understanding her role in the universe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Preparation means understanding your client’s business, their operational needs, and their financial guardrails.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Global firms consider enforcement regimes when deciding where to locate research, production, and scaling operations.—
Laura Peter,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Even experienced players can misread a pitch by inches, which makes deciding whether to challenge even more difficult.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Binary neutron stars have long been considered the best bet for deciphering what lurks within.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Making out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/making%20out. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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