coughed; coughing; coughs
1
: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise : to emit a cough (see cough entry 2 sense 1)
The dust made him cough repeatedly.
2
: to make a noise like that of coughing
The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.
: to expel by coughing
—often used with up
cough up mucus
1
: a sudden, sharp-sounding expulsion of air from the lungs acting as a protective mechanism to clear the air passages or as a symptom of pulmonary disturbance
2
: a condition marked by repeated or frequent coughing
She has a bad cough.
Examples of cough in a Sentence
Verb
She was coughing and sneezing all day.
The dust made him cough.
The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.
Noun
He has a cough and a cold.
They both have bad coughs.
I heard a cough from the back of the church.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2023
However, some people have reported experiencing coughing fits after consuming delta-8 THC.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2023
The condition is highly contagious, most commonly seen in daycares and schools, and spreads through coughing, sneezing, exchange of saliva, fluid from the rash, and stool, says Dr. Jacobs.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Another common side effect with this spicy chip challenge is coughing.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 7 Sep. 2023
People flinched or shifted uncomfortably every time someone coughed or sneezed.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
The bacteria are spread by coming into contact with an infected person's saliva or spit, such as through coughing, kissing, sharing items or sneezing near someone's face.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2023
And if caring for a sick child, wash their utensils and plates after each use, clean up dirty tissues, and encourage them to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2023
Wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, and using the toilet.
—Ashley Abramson, Health, 25 Aug. 2023
Cailley Lapara, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2023
That leaves the airway unprotected at a time when the patient’s cough reflex is impeded.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2023
This time around, Polly is deep in the drama (again), and ends up kissing one very handsome, newly-single, coworker (cough, Tyler Stanaland, cough).
—Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
And the door is now open for more companies with bridging solutions (*cough* Lutron) to get in the game.
—Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 6 Sep. 2023
But the real match made in heaven was the one between Mal and Lexi, who remain besties (cough, cough, get together, please).
—Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2023
The extra moisture might relieve wheezing cough in babies and toddlers.
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Aug. 2023
Symptoms may include cough, shortness of breath, headache and fever.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2023
Ministers in the Southeast Asian country confirmed this week that President Widodo had been battling a cough for weeks and suggested it could be related to worsening air pollution in Jakarta.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 21 Aug. 2023
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Verb
Some videos show people gagging, coughing and begging for water.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2023
However, some people have reported experiencing coughing fits after consuming delta-8 THC.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2023
The condition is highly contagious, most commonly seen in daycares and schools, and spreads through coughing, sneezing, exchange of saliva, fluid from the rash, and stool, says Dr. Jacobs.
—Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
Another common side effect with this spicy chip challenge is coughing.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 7 Sep. 2023
People flinched or shifted uncomfortably every time someone coughed or sneezed.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
The bacteria are spread by coming into contact with an infected person's saliva or spit, such as through coughing, kissing, sharing items or sneezing near someone's face.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2023
And if caring for a sick child, wash their utensils and plates after each use, clean up dirty tissues, and encourage them to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 25 Aug. 2023
Wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, and using the toilet.
—Ashley Abramson, Health, 25 Aug. 2023
Noun
Consumers spent about $1.8 billion on products containing phenylephrine in 2022, according to the FDA, although many cold remedies with the decongestant also contain other active ingredients like antihistamines and cough suppressants.
—Cailley Lapara, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2023
That leaves the airway unprotected at a time when the patient’s cough reflex is impeded.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2023
This time around, Polly is deep in the drama (again), and ends up kissing one very handsome, newly-single, coworker (cough, Tyler Stanaland, cough).
—Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
And the door is now open for more companies with bridging solutions (*cough* Lutron) to get in the game.
—Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 6 Sep. 2023
But the real match made in heaven was the one between Mal and Lexi, who remain besties (cough, cough, get together, please).
—Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2023
The extra moisture might relieve wheezing cough in babies and toddlers.
—Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Aug. 2023
Symptoms may include cough, shortness of breath, headache and fever.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2023
Ministers in the Southeast Asian country confirmed this week that President Widodo had been battling a cough for weeks and suggested it could be related to worsening air pollution in Jakarta.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 21 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cough.' 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 and Noun
Middle English, from Old English *cohhian; akin to Middle High German kūchen to breathe heavily
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of cough was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing cough
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Dictionary Entries Near cough
Cite this Entry
“Cough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
cough
1 of 2 verb1
: to force air from the lungs with a sharp short noise or series of noises
2
: to get rid of by coughing
cough up mucus
3
: to make a noise like that of coughing
an engine coughing and sputtering
cough
2 of 2 noun1
: a condition marked by repeated or frequent coughing
2
: an act or sound of coughing
Medical Definition
cough
1 of 2 intransitive verb
: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise usually in a series of efforts
: to expel by coughing
—often used with up
cough up mucus
cough
2 of 2 noun1
: a condition marked by repeated, frequent coughing
he has a bad cough
2
: a sudden, sharp-sounding expulsion of air from the lungs acting as a protective mechanism to clear the air passages or as a symptom of pulmonary disturbance
More from Merriam-Webster on cough
Nglish: Translation of cough for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cough for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cough
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