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

---

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.

---

Example Sentences

Viewers found it hard to make out exactly what Green was yelling about unless they stayed around for post-speech coverage on cable news.

From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026

Cordoning off their share of terrace was a pane of pebbled glass, through which Kertész could make out the forms of vacationing neighbors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

"We had to make out own plan, I knew I couldn't allow our residents to experience something like that again," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

When AFP visited on Friday, Yayang church was completely covered in blue cladding, but reporters could clearly make out the silhouette of the main dome -- now missing its cross.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

The mural itself had been damaged in spots by all the wallpapering done over it, so she was not able to make out the artist’s signature.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood