as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable
I think that saying you're sick is just a cop-out to get out of going to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to back out
to break a promise or agreement
don't cop out on your promise to pay for the damage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cop-out
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
To think there’s no such thing as a perfect leader or workplace to strive for is unnerving—and feels like a cop-out.
—Kent Ingle, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Please don’t say Darwin Nunez — David C. Waugh: This may seem like a cop-out answer, but Newcastle are confident that, as things stand, Alexander Isak is going nowhere.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Their talk is confidential, even from us, which is a bit of a cop-out.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Making her a helpful ex-Widow is the ultimate cop-out, replacing complex real-world connections with generic globo-spy fantasy.
—Darren Franich, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
To some sequins and tones like black and gold could be viewed as easy cop-outs.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
The first would be seen as a cop-out by hawkish elements in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which saw one of its facilities hit and its missile production capacity depleted.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
And that is not a cop-out answer, but the correct answer.
—Dane Brugler, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, also condemned Israel’s move dubbing it a cop out.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
As for Butler, his answer was Timothée Chalamet, which is a cop out.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2024
The performances by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as, respectively, a thief and the cop out to catch him bring such intensity and power to the film.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Needless to say, my hot glue gun gets a lot of action, and after my last one copped out, my shopping research brought me to a life-changing discovery: cordless glue guns actually exist.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023
Noun
Onya thinks the other girls, except Suzie, gave cop-out answers, and those girls are defensive.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
To think there’s no such thing as a perfect leader or workplace to strive for is unnerving—and feels like a cop-out.
—Kent Ingle, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Please don’t say Darwin Nunez — David C. Waugh: This may seem like a cop-out answer, but Newcastle are confident that, as things stand, Alexander Isak is going nowhere.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Their talk is confidential, even from us, which is a bit of a cop-out.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
Making her a helpful ex-Widow is the ultimate cop-out, replacing complex real-world connections with generic globo-spy fantasy.
—Darren Franich, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
To some sequins and tones like black and gold could be viewed as easy cop-outs.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
The first would be seen as a cop-out by hawkish elements in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which saw one of its facilities hit and its missile production capacity depleted.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
And that is not a cop-out answer, but the correct answer.
—Dane Brugler, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Verb
About 20 minutes later, the two cops out in front were joined by a third officer.
—Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, also condemned Israel’s move dubbing it a cop out.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
As for Butler, his answer was Timothée Chalamet, which is a cop out.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2024
The performances by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as, respectively, a thief and the cop out to catch him bring such intensity and power to the film.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Needless to say, my hot glue gun gets a lot of action, and after my last one copped out, my shopping research brought me to a life-changing discovery: cordless glue guns actually exist.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cop-out
Noun
-
The Reality: Most Will Not Be Able to Enter Canada Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants has left many searching for an escape, but Canada will not be a viable refuge for the vast majority.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Samantha Bonar, at the fire’s eastern edge in Pasadena, was thinking the same thing after making a quick escape.—
Laurence Darmiento,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In addition to ending several college deals and its on-field NFL pact, Under Armour backed out of an agreement to outfit MLB and paid a penalty.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Payton and Brady, once Plan A for the Dolphins, backed out of coming and hiring Mike McDaniel became Plan B. The NFL investigated Flores’ allegation that Ross offered money to lose games.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Before leaving office, Joe Biden issued a controversial pardon for his son over tax evasion and federal gun charges.—
Molly Nagle,
ABC News,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Sorrentino pled guilty to one count of tax evasion in January 2018, and his brother Marc pled guilty to one count of aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return.—
Diane J. Cho,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Swalwell draws parallels between his father’s principled stand against corruption as a police chief and his own refusal to back down, framing resistance as a moral imperative learned from his upbringing[1][3].—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
-
At the moment, neither appears willing to back down.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The vehicle must also earn a good or acceptable rating in the collision avoidance areas, like pedestrian front-crash prevention technology test for daytime and nighttime driving as well as its headlights on all trim levels.—
Jackie Charniga,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
-
As far as speed, elephants moving at a slow speed show an even stronger avoidance of the difficult, more energetically-costly terrain.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
There has never been reason to think, and there certainly is no reason to think now, that appeasing Putin is going to lead to him backing off from these grander schemes.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Creighton rebounded a UConn miss with about 7 seconds left and a 7-point lead, and the Huskies backed off, allowing the Bluejays to dribble out the clock.—
Ralph D. Russo,
The Athletic,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Adriana Jasso, who coordinates the U.S.-Mexico program for the Service Committee, recalled that hectic time and the group’s aid effort.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Amina tried to recall their exchange at the café, the way Vincent had flattered them.—
Ayşegül Savaş,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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