COP OUT Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

cop-out 1 of 2

noun

ˈkäp-ˌau̇t

Definition of cop-out

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cop out

2 of 2

verb

as in to back out

to break a promise or agreement don't cop out on your promise to pay for the damage

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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 cop-out

Noun

Maybe that’s a cop-out — an excuse to not deliver the narrative oomph most features need to feel substantial, or worthwhile. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 1 Feb. 2026 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

Verb

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 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 See All Example Sentences for cop-out

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cop-out

Noun

Lisa lets a dolphin named Snorky escape from Marine World after seeing his trainers taunt him for the amusement of slack-jawed yokels.

— Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
Southwest Airlines will add 11 new nonstop international routes to its schedule beginning in November, giving travelers more options for their next tropical escape.

— Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of escape

Noun

Chiu was convicted of murder, second-degree robbery, assault with a firearm and reckless evasion of police.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The Department of Justice (DOJ) maintains that the restriction is a legitimate tool for preventing tax evasion and protecting federal revenue.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of evasion

Noun

When a conjunction is probable, SSA/STC service providers alert the operators involved, who then decide whether to undertake a collision-avoidance maneuver.

— David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
In the very early days of COVID-19, millions who'd rarely thought twice about germ avoidance became germophobes.

— Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of avoidance

Verb

The first time, her 6-year-old child was close to harming our infant daughter, and my husband asked him to back off — not unkindly, and only after giving the neighbor a chance to intercede first.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
The idea isn’t to wall the kitchen back off but to declutter it, giving everyday clutter a place to disappear so the room looks calmer and more polished.

— Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of back off

Verb

Now owned by the state of Bavaria, the ⁠Kehlsteinhaus was classified after the war as a historical monument recalling the Nazi period.

— Reuters, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
Everyone was chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather, Spiro, a 36-year-old rabbi at Hill Havurah congregation in Washington, recalled.

— Liam Scott, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of recall

Browse Nearby Words

copiousness

cop-out

cop out

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of cop-out

noun

verb

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