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
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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
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
So many movies depict tech bringing out the worst in people, leaving us with the sort of cop-out villainy of computers are bad!
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2024
But to shift that responsibility back onto your consumers (by enticing them with a gift card) feels like a cop-out.
—Lindy Segal, Curbed, 18 Sep. 2024
Alcohol was frequently mentioned as a contributing factor to this mindset, suggesting that—in some cases—intoxication provided an easy cop-out for the affair.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
It’s often dismissed as a trivial punishment for children, or as an easy cop-out for difficult conversations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Sep. 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
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
So many movies depict tech bringing out the worst in people, leaving us with the sort of cop-out villainy of computers are bad!
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2024
But to shift that responsibility back onto your consumers (by enticing them with a gift card) feels like a cop-out.
—Lindy Segal, Curbed, 18 Sep. 2024
Alcohol was frequently mentioned as a contributing factor to this mindset, suggesting that—in some cases—intoxication provided an easy cop-out for the affair.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
It’s often dismissed as a trivial punishment for children, or as an easy cop-out for difficult conversations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Sep. 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
-
One of the cops is executed, and the other escapes.—
Chris Koseluk,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
-
More recently, he’s allowed for individual room rentals during peak seasons, thus welcoming almost-regular folks to that pristine Caribbean escape, which also happens to be a successful lemur refuge.—
Heidi Mitchell,
Robb Report,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Camara then digs on the ball and still has the speed to close back out to contest the Vucevic three and force the miss.—
Mikai Bruce,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Although Trump’s Justice Department recently backed out of the case — which was originally filed under the Biden administration — the case was not dismissed.—
Abby Monteil,
Them,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Yet its evasion of the substance of contemporary American polarization—an increasingly common approach in a Hollywood desperate for hits that will play in red states, blue states, and internationally—undermines that verisimilitude.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Savannah Chrisley is turning to President Donald Trump for help as her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, remain incarcerated after being convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Cam Newton, who spent the majority of his 11-year NFL career with the Carolina Panthers, is not backing down from his recent criticism of his former teammates.—
Chantz Martin,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
-
Thanks to the concentration of our forces in and around the Strip, and thanks to President Trump's clear and unequivocal statement, Hamas backed down and the release of the hostages continued.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Global Tax Reforms And Their Impact On IP Management The global tax landscape is undergoing significant reforms, driven by efforts to address tax avoidance and ensure fair taxation of digital and intangible assets.—
Joseph K. Hopkins,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Other factors that Homendy mentioned were that the regional jet pilots appear to have received a warning from an onboard collision avoidance system.—
Zach Wichter,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Private companies, some of which had already begun the transition before Trump took office, remarkably began backing off their DEI policies, even if only symbolically with little internal change.—
Casey Harper | The Center Square,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
15 Feb. 2025
-
In an effort to prevent a crash, sheriff’s pursuit cars backed off as the pickup approached the Payette River Canyon.—
Max Silverson,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The automaker is recalling recalling 240,510 of its 2020-2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles because the seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured, Ford said in a report filed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
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Software recalls are only getting more common As Ars noted last year, the nature of automotive safety recalls is changing.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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