make out
14 synonyms for make out, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To kiss and embrace someone for a sustained period, in a romantic or passionate way.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb informal
To kiss and embrace someone for a sustained period, in a romantic or passionate way.
“They were making out in the back row of the cinema.”
2. verb
To manage to see, hear or read something that is faint or unclear.
“I could just make out a figure through the fog.”
3. verb
To claim or suggest that something is the case, usually unfairly or falsely.
“He makes out that he did all the work himself.”
4. verb
To write out a cheque, form or document, especially by filling in a name.
“Please make the cheque out to the school office.”
How to use make out
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Informal in the kissing sense; the "discern" and "claim" senses are neutral and fine in ordinary writing.
