cough up

as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 cough up Indiana’s defense was much better, too, limiting the Spurs to 41.2 percent shooting after coughing up 140 points two days ago. Joe Vardon, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025 Those sickened can have chest pain, feel weak and cough up blood or mucus from the respiratory tract, according to the CDC. Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 28 Jan. 2025 Symptoms and safety measures Common symptoms of active TB include coughing, chest pains, fever, fatigue and coughing up blood or phlegm. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025 Another crunch-time fumble Four days after coughing up a late lead in an overtime loss to Atlanta, the Celtics suffered through a similar final-minute meltdown. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for cough up 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
  • Trump is especially bitter that President Carter, in 1977, entered into agreement with Panama to relinquish control of the canal by the year 1999.
    Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Ellis hired his previous CBS Records colleague Gregg Geller, who José promptly put in charge of the Elvis Presley catalog, moving it over from Nashville, where Joe Galante was only too happy to relinquish it after the sales spike from Presley’s death in 1977 had cooled off.
    Roy Trakin, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Nonetheless, an underperforming album or run of singles can render even seemingly infallible artists to the khia asylum – like, say, post-Radical Optimism Dua Lipa.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
  • In comparison, Steel Nomad's regular (4K) and Light (1440p) subtests focus on APIs more commonly used for game development, like Metal, DirectX 12, and Vulkan, to assess gaming geometry and particle rendering speeds.
    Matthew Buzzi, PCMAG, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Image The Cement Garden By Ian McEwan The premise alone is goose bumps grim: After the death of their mother, four children decide to hide her body in a trunk of cement in their basement and fend for themselves rather than surrender to social workers and foster care.
    M.L. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The right-hander tossed three scoreless innings later that evening against the Boston Red Sox, allowing three hits while striking out four and surrendering no walks to earn the save and help the White Sox snap a 14-game losing streak.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Monster Hunter World was a zenith for the franchise, delivering a superb and accessible action experience enjoyed by millions.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Meanwhile, the aluminum and titanium handle adds some heft, which increases the amount of pressure this vibe can deliver.
    Gabrielle Kassel, SELF, 11 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near cough up

Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!