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
My personal favorite piece from the collection is this adorable side table made out of birchwood plywood.
—
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
Therefore, Miss Manners condones entertaining in the kitchen and holding dance parties in the living room — as well as the occasional chair made out of Legos for anyone who is up for it.
—Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
It’s made out of a thick, durable material and features a drop shoulder design and a kangaroo pocket.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
The nose is 10 feet long and made out of steel.
—John Lauritsen, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make out
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
Therefore, Miss Manners condones entertaining in the kitchen and holding dance parties in the living room — as well as the occasional chair made out of Legos for anyone who is up for it.
—Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
It’s made out of a thick, durable material and features a drop shoulder design and a kangaroo pocket.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
The nose is 10 feet long and made out of steel.
—John Lauritsen, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for make out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make out
Verb
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So too does Helen, who handles her own feelings about Callie through her own coping mechanisms, some of which work, most of which don’t, and many of which center on building her own friendship with Minnie.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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Patients with substance use disorders have often relied on substances as their escape lever from these deeper problems, rather than developing healthier coping mechanisms.—
Emma Fenske,
The Conversation,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The collar will help scientists understand the movement patterns and reproductive behavior of the Sierra Nevada red fox, providing key insights to guide conservation efforts.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Those many Americans who still understand that freedom is the magic elixir that drives growth and prosperity are exiting blue states, leaving them to stew in their left-wing, socialist, low-growth and low-opportunity juices.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
By age 2, most kids know how to play pretend.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Chris Kreider, winger, B+ Jacob Trouba, defenseman, B+ Both players were jettisoned by the New York Rangers, who sunk in the standings and have continued selling off after pretending as though their leadership group was the issue.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L Leather Alternative Made with faux leather that’s derived from cactus fiber, this belt bag is luxury on the go.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
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The first of these is alginate (derived from seaweed), which forms a gel when exposed to liquids (such as blood).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The southern Portuguese city of Alcacer do Sal, about 60 miles from Lisbon, was battling rising waters from the river Sado, with downtown areas flooded and water levels measuring roughly 7 feet high in some places.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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For people that are not tracking what that actually means, that means that ICE can do almost no arrests in the entire country … If a court rules that there’s a final order of removal, they’re removed actually by an administrative warrant, not a judicial warrant.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bass, who was politically weakened by her performance during the fire and its aftermath, was already facing more than two dozen challengers looking to oust her in the June 2 primary — the vast majority little known to the public and not expected to pose any threat.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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One note e-mailed Monday to the KOLD-TV newsroom in Tucson included information that only the abductor would know, anchor Mary Coleman told CNN.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Monitoring high-level athletes for drug misuse is nothing new, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) surprised many people recently by deciding to track the use of GLP-1 drugs, such as the diabetes and obesity treatments Ozempic (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide).—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.—
Staff Reports,
The Providence Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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How fans experience the game and how referees decipher controversial calls will only get better as visual AI advances.—
Jason Corso,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
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Health care professionals are now caught between deciphering new legislation and their duty to provide quality care.—
Eleanor Sobel,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Make out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make%20out. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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