coughed; coughing; coughs
1
: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise : to emit a cough (see cough entry 2 sense 1)
The dust made him cough repeatedly.
2
: to make a noise like that of coughing
The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.
: to expel by coughing
—often used with up
cough up mucus
1
: a sudden, sharp-sounding expulsion of air from the lungs acting as a protective mechanism to clear the air passages or as a symptom of pulmonary disturbance
2
: a condition marked by repeated or frequent coughing
She has a bad cough.
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Cough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
