How to Use cop-out in a Sentence

cop-out

1 of 2 noun
  • But the union is not wrong to call this a cop-out, either.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
  • But merely saying that is a cop-out.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Mine is probably a cop-out too.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Others may see it as a cop-out to make up for a short discography.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Claiming that the shooter was still gathering is a cop-out by the refs.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Those who don’t will probably view it as a cop-out — which is understandable!
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Claiming victimhood was a cop-out; those who made accusations of assault were ridiculed.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • But in the wake of that buildup, the film's shockingly anticlimactic ending also feels like somewhat of a cop-out.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In another day and age, the move might appear cheap — a cop-out that suggests cinematic universes and spin-offs and good old-fashioned comeuppance.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Retreating to one’s room in the middle of the day feels like a cop-out at many places, but here the indoor-outdoor flow transforms a late-afternoon nap into a pleasure without the guilt.
    — Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026

cop out

2 of 2 verb
  • To say these machines are too expense is a cop out.
    — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Climb the 900-odd steps (or cop out in a car) for a walk through its eight baroque bastions and some breathtaking views.
    — Helen Brown, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Rather than throwing those bad cops out of the union and asking for better training so cops will never have to ask what to do when a fellow cop appears to have broken the law, Hendry encourages them.
    — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Strategic shakeup Usually buying and selling is a cop out, but with where the Red Sox are in their competitive cycle the approach might make some sense.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
  • Herman views the administration’s statements about the complexity of the refund process—and the need for the CIT’s intervention—as a bit of a cop out.
    — Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The case, which has only recently come to the attention of POST officials, highlights the limits of state oversight even after lawmakers passed significant police reform aimed at forcing dishonest cops out of the profession.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cop-out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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