plural coops
Synonyms of coop
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
see also:

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

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
Kept in coops throughout the region, the birds are routinely tested for viruses. Michael Cuglietta, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 Outside, the lush grounds host a 55-foot pool with a spillover spa, a kitchen and bar barbecue setup, a meditation garden with an infrared sauna, a stream, and a chicken—or peacock—coop. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
The garden, beekeeping hives, and coop with more than a dozen egg-laying chickens were all Wojcicki's idea—a way to connect her five children to nature and part of Wojcicki's healthy lifestyle. Alice Park, Time, 12 May 2026 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
Noun
This online co-op game brings players together in an open-world sandbox filled with mini-games, collectibles, and tons of secrets. Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026 That means that condos, co-ops, single family residences (SFRs) and other primary home types will usually all be the same price for coverage. Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

: 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
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