plural coops
Synonyms of coopnext
1
: a cage or small enclosure (as for chickens, ducks, or other fowl)
also : a small building for housing poultry see also chicken coop
2
a
: a confined area
b
: jail

coop

2 of 3

verb

cooped; cooping; coops

transitive verb

1
: to confine in a restricted and often crowded area
usually used with up
children cooped up in the house all day
2
: to place or keep in a coop : pen
often used with up

co-op

3 of 3

noun (2)

ˈkō-ˌäp How to pronounce co-op (audio)
kō-ˈäp

Examples of coop in a Sentence

Noun (1) was thrown in the coop for disturbing the peace a chicken coop Verb restless kids cooped up in the house on a rainy day
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Sort your laundry — but not by color The once cardinal rule of separating darks from whites before washing them has flown the coop. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026 The chicken coop at Bloom Ranch. Martine Thompson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Instead of battling for an all-star berth in his final Little League season or attending Don Mattingly Bobblehead Night at Yankee Stadium, he’s been forced to spend the spring cooped up in a neighborhood where ambulance sirens have wailed nonstop. Brendan I. Koerner, Wired, 19 May 2020 Three relative strangers cooped up underground indefinitely to avoid an unseen danger, who don't entirely trust each other? Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 May 2020
Noun
Like Sebek, Lincoln-Way co-op senior Zoe Dempsey was heartbroken not to win state in her final attempt. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026 The lender offers mortgages at below-average rates, along with specialized products like investment property mortgages and co-op mortgages. Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coop

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English cupe; akin to Old English cȳpe basket

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coop was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coop. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

coop

1 of 3 noun
: a cage or small enclosure or building for housing poultry or small animals

coop

2 of 3 verb
: to place or keep in or as if in a coop

co-op

3 of 3 noun
ˈkō-ˌäp
kō-ˈäp

More from Merriam-Webster on coop

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