make out — progress romantically
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+informaloccasional
To kiss and touch someone in a sexual or romantic way, often as a precursor to further intimacy.
Say it like a native
Textbook They were engaging in passionate kissing on the sofa.
Native They were making out on the couch.
'Make out' is the casual term for kissing; the formal description sounds clinical.
Pattern: make out (with someone)
In use
- They were making out behind the gym after the party.relationships
- While some people believe public displays of affection, such as making out, are inappropriate, others see them as a natural expression of emotion.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ They made out together for the first time.
✓ They made out for the first time.
'Make out' is already reciprocal — 'together' is redundant; you 'make out WITH someone'.
Common collocations
make out + with/where— with someone, on the couch, at the party, in the car
Don't confuse it
This sense is unrelated to the B1 meaning of 'see or understand with difficulty' and the B2 meaning of 'claim or pretend.' Here, 'make out' refers to romantic or sexual activity, not perception or assertion.
Related
- make out (see or understand with difficulty) — 'make out' also has the more basic meaning 'see or understand with difficulty'; this is the advanced sense.