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
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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Rivera said she and her two young children were trapped — the flames blocked every escape route.—
Jesse Coburn,
Curbed,
31 Jan. 2025
-
John Nigh — whose criminal history includes violent charges and spans multiple counties — is being pursued by the Craven County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force and other agencies following his escape from the Craven County Jail on Sunday afternoon.—
Greg Norman,
Fox News,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Walsh responded by making a trade with the Rams for elusive running back Wendell Tayler and drafting Roger Craig, a multipurpose back out of Nebraska.—
Mark Purdy,
The Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The Cubs would also hope to tease a little more velocity back out of Pressly, who has historically had strong ground-ball numbers, which would play well on a team with multiple Gold Glove defenders.—
Patrick Mooney,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Those evasions may be simply to get over the finish line.—
Eric Cortellessa,
TIME,
30 Jan. 2025
-
That could lead to less enforcement, higher rates of tax evasion, and potentially less revenue for the federal government.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
26 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
There are multiple gates in each of the three sets of locks that elevate ships from sea level on the Atlantic, up eighty-five feet into Gatun Lake, then back down to sea level on the Pacific.—
Robin Wright,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
-
Trump then threatened massive tariffs on Colombian goods and Colombia’s president backed down, even offering his personal aircraft to assist in picking up illegals being deported from the U.S.—
Paul Bedard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Roomba j9+ keeps iRobot's reputation for quality going with some of the best obstacle detection and avoidance on the market, including the ability to dodge pet waste and even adapt its cleaning schedules to prioritize the parts of your floor that get the dirtiest.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PCMAG,
17 Jan. 2025
-
In the context of a fantasy bond—where emotional distance and defensiveness are already at play—this avoidance of real conflict prevents healthy communication and resolution of issues that could otherwise strengthen the relationship.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
There’s no Republican policy to address inflation, and indeed, the pressure is on the Federal Reserve to back off its monetary policy, which has reduced inflation from double digits to less than 3%.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Democrats will bring forward legislation to lower costs if Trump doesn't back off the rest of his harmful trade war.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
What potato chips are being recalled? Which states were the Lay’s chips distributed to?—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Owen of ReNew Missouri recalled Hahn’s participation in an Aug. 13 meeting in Jefferson City where state legislators discussed pro-utility policies.—
Natalie Wallington,
Kansas City Star,
29 Jan. 2025
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 10 Feb. 2025.
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