cope

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈkōp 

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 cope …

—P. 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

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• manage
• do
• survive

Noun

• veil
• shroud
• cloak
• wraps
• blanket
• mask
• covering
• pall
• cover

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

Following the news of the couple's separation, another insider close to the family told PEOPLE how their daughters Olivia, 26, and Bella, 27, are coping. —Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

Others cope by avoidance, delaying financial decisions, or ignoring accounts altogether. —Bruce Helmer, Twin Cities, 25 Oct. 2025

Noun

On Thursday, there was an incredible amount of right-wing cope, which led to dozens upon dozens of unintentionally hilarious tweets from many X main characters. —Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025

The Ukrainian Mavic drone spotted with an aerial cope cage has a payload of just a few hundred grams. —David Axe, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

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

Rhymes for cope

• dope
• grope
• lope
• mope
• nope
• rope
• scope
• shope
• slope
• soap
• stope
• swope

Kids Definition

cope

1 of 2 noun

ˈkōp 

: 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

ˈkōp 

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