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
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cop-out
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
Refusing to continue isn’t a cop-out so much as an affirmation of everything else precious that fills one’s days.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
But in addition to being just plain dumb, that conclusion also seems like a cop-out.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 3 May 2024
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
Plus, fashion needs to be breathable in the summer months, and what’s an easy cop out for stuffy styles?
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023
But to critics, that has seemed like a cop out, and rejection of the more forceful position of oil majors such as ExxonMobil and BP that have endorsed a carbon price.
—Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, 14 Jan. 2021
Terrible cop out of a call.
—Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Jan. 2023
Noun
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
Refusing to continue isn’t a cop-out so much as an affirmation of everything else precious that fills one’s days.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
But in addition to being just plain dumb, that conclusion also seems like a cop-out.
—Jen Chaney, Vulture, 3 May 2024
Verb
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
Plus, fashion needs to be breathable in the summer months, and what’s an easy cop out for stuffy styles?
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023
But to critics, that has seemed like a cop out, and rejection of the more forceful position of oil majors such as ExxonMobil and BP that have endorsed a carbon price.
—Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, 14 Jan. 2021
Terrible cop out of a call.
—Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Jan. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cop-out
Noun
-
Prior to the escape, Hernandez was held at the Kern Valley State Prison.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
-
The Amrit Ocean Resort, a 165-room wellness escape on Singer Island, was on the verge of premiering for seven years before finally arriving in May.Beth Landman, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Mixed Doubles Pools Note: just ahead of the event, Etta Wright backed out with injury.Todd Boss, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
-
But back-to-back 3s by Johnson and Deebo Coleman helped push UCF back out front at 49-46 with 15:49 left.Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The Biden administration should take quick regulatory action to raise standards for mandatory corporate due diligence for dual-use technology sales in places such as China, ramp up Commerce Department investigations of export control evasion, and threaten significant fines for violations.Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Hunter's sentencing was due to take place on December 12 in Delaware for the gun conviction and December 16 in Los Angeles for the tax evasion charges.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
But, of course, since this Super is not really Superman or Supergirl and can’t really fly, gravity brings the person back down.Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Broadway settled back down to some post-Thanksgiving normalcy last week, dropping about 9% to $42,021,721 from the holiday high of the previous week.Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Past unionization campaigns that occurred before the 2017 Amazon takeover, such as in Madison, Wisconsin and Tyson’s Corner, Virginia, succumbed to captive audience trainings and other effective union avoidance techniques.Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
-
By the time the October report was released in 2023, that figure had jumped to 37 orbital debris avoidance maneuvers.Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
And, though houses have gotten much bigger over the long term, home builders have backed off a bit in recent years.Zachary Crockett, thehustle.co, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Lewis, the No. 35 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 in the 247Sports Composite, had been committed to USC for more than a year but backed off that pledge on Nov. 17.David Ubben, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
Over 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks have been recalled this week over a braking system defect.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
-
Stellantis is recalling more than 315,000 of its pickup trucks due to a potentially deadly safety issue with the braking system, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.Natalie Neysa Alund, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near cop-out
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share