make out

British  

verb

1. (tr) to discern or perceive

   can you make out that house in the distance?

2. (tr) to understand or comprehend

   I can't make out this letter

3. (tr) to write out

   he made out a cheque

4. (tr) to attempt to establish or prove

   he made me out to be a liar

5. (intr) to pretend

   he made out that he could cook

6. (intr) to manage or fare

   how did you make out in the contest?

7. informal to engage in necking or petting

   Alan is making out with Jane

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make out Idioms  

1. Discern or see, especially with difficulty, as in I can hardly make out the number on the door . [Mid-1700s]

2. Manage, get along, as in How did you make out with the accountant? This usage was first recorded in 1820.

3. Engage in sexual foreplay or intercourse, as in Bill and Jane were making out on the sofa , or Joe bragged that he made out last night . [ Slang ; early 1900s]

4. Understand, as in I can't make out what she is trying to say . [Mid-1600s] Also see can't make head or tail of .

5. Establish or prove, as in He made out that he was innocent . [ Colloquial ; mid-1600s]

6. Imply or suggest. This usage often occurs with an infinitive, as in Are you making me out to be a liar? [ Colloquial ; mid-1600s]

7. Write out, draw up; fill in a written form. For example, He made out the invoices , or Jane started making out job applications . This usage was first recorded in 1465.

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Example Sentences

“You could still kind of make out the word Wired across the top of the masthead and something about that just blew me away,” Cooley says.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026

“Yeah. It’s the creativity. I really enjoy seeing what they make out of the funky basket items they get. It reminds me of my art-school days. And Ted is so much fun!”

From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026

The hour and minute hands glowed in the dark, so the owner could make out the time when returning to her suite at the Paris Ritz after the ball.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

"I can make out all the letters of the alphabet, even the smallest ones," he marvelled, pointing to his phone screen.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

My heart was hammering hard inside my chest, but I could just make out the sound of two hushed but all too familiar voices.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin