cope

1 of 4

verb (1)

coped; coping

intransitive verb

1
a
: to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties
often used with with
learning to cope with the demands of her schedule
b
: to maintain a contest or combat usually on even terms or with success
used with with
2
archaic : meet, encounter
3
obsolete : strike, fight

transitive verb

1
obsolete : to meet in combat
2
obsolete : to come in contact with
3
obsolete : match

cope

2 of 4

noun

1
: a long enveloping ecclesiastical vestment
The priest wore a cope for the benediction.
2
a
: something resembling a cope (as by concealing or covering)
… the dark sky's starry copeP. B. Shelley
b
: coping

cope

3 of 4

verb (2)

coped; coping

transitive verb

: to cover or furnish with a cope

cope

4 of 4

verb (3)

coped; coping

transitive verb

1
: to shape (a structural member) to fit a coping or conform to the shape of another member
2
: notch

Examples of cope in a Sentence

Verb (1) a young man learning to cope on his own at college Noun committed their nefarious deeds under the dark cope of night
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Manual processes, spreadsheets or ERP systems simply cannot cope. Alex Saric, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024 Kelly was not the only one struggling to cope with Swift’s endorsement of the Democratic presidential ticket. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2024
Noun
The set sold 43,000 copes in the U.S. in the week ending June 29, according to Luminate. Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019 Three years of preparatory work had set the stage for an extraordinary five-hour pageant, as 2,500 Catholic bishops, each vested in white cope and miter, processed into the Vatican basilica. George Weigel, WSJ, 13 Oct. 2022 See all Example Sentences for cope 

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English copen, coupen, from Anglo-French couper to strike, cut, from cop, colp blow, from Late Latin colpus, alteration of Latin colaphus, from Greek kolaphos buffet

Noun and Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English -cāp, from Late Latin cappa head covering

Verb (3)

probably from French couper to cut

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

circa 1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cope was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near cope

Cite this Entry

“Cope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cope. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cope

1 of 2 noun
: a long vestment that is worn like a cape by a priest or bishop

cope

2 of 2 verb
coped; coping
: to struggle or try to manage especially with some success
cope with a situation
Etymology

Noun

Old English -cap "long vestment, cope," from Latin cappa "head covering" — related to cape entry 2

Verb

from earlier cope "to strike, fight, engage in a struggle," from Middle English copen "to strike, fight," from early French couper "to strike, cut," from earlier cop "a blow" — related to coup, coupon

Medical Definition

cope

1 of 2 intransitive verb
coped; coping
: to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties
usually used with with
helping children cope with grief

COPE

2 of 2 abbreviation
chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema

More from Merriam-Webster on cope

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!