cope

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈkōp 

coped; coping

intransitive verb

1

a

: to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties

—often used with with

learning to cope with the demands of her schedule

b

: to maintain a contest or combat usually on even terms or with success

—used with with

2

archaic : meet, encounter

3

obsolete : strike, fight

transitive verb

1

obsolete : to meet in combat

2

obsolete : to come in contact with

3

obsolete : match

cope

2 of 3

verb (2)

coped; coping

transitive verb

: to cover or furnish with a cope

cope

3 of 3

verb (3)

coped; coping

transitive verb

1

: to shape (a structural member) to fit a coping or conform to the shape of another member

2

: notch

Synonyms of cope

Verb (1)

• manage
• do
• survive

Examples of cope in a Sentence

Verb (1)

a young man learning to cope on his own at college

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Dinklage played Tyrion Lannister, who uses his cleverness and wit to cope with his father's rejection of him. —Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026

Her group provides services through Zoom and Google Meet to more than 7,000 adults and children coping with stressors such as cancer and chronic pain, as well as with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. —Holly Dagres, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026

The showpiece against the hosts was the first genuinely one-sided final in the competition, with the Swedes unable to cope with Pele, Vava, Garrincha and the marauding Djalma Santos. —Will Jeanes, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Think how sophisticated the near-instant data processing has to be to cope with the output of each of the sensors which constantly measures three dimensions of linear and three of angular acceleration. —New Atlas, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English copen, coupen, from Anglo-French couper to strike, cut, from cop, colp blow, from Late Latin colpus, alteration of Latin colaphus, from Greek kolaphos buffet

Verb (3)

probably from French couper to cut

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

circa 1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cope

• dope
• grope
• lope
• mope
• nope
• rope
• scope
• shope
• slope
• soap
• stope
• swope

Kids Definition

cope

1 of 2 noun

ˈkōp 

: a long vestment that is worn like a cape by a priest or bishop

cope

2 of 2 verb

coped; coping

: to struggle or try to manage especially with some success

cope with a situation

Etymology

Noun

Old English -cap "long vestment, cope," from Latin cappa "head covering" — related to cape entry 2

Verb

from earlier cope "to strike, fight, engage in a struggle," from Middle English copen "to strike, fight," from early French couper "to strike, cut," from earlier cop "a blow" — related to coup, coupon

Medical Definition

cope

1 of 2 intransitive verb

ˈkōp 

coped; coping

: to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties

—usually used with with

helping children cope with grief

COPE

2 of 2 abbreviation

chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema