cough

1 of 2

verb

coughed; coughing; coughs

intransitive verb

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.

transitive verb

: to expel by coughing
often used with up
cough up mucus

cough

2 of 2

noun

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
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 See More

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

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.

Kids Definition

cough

1 of 2 verb
1
: 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 noun
1
: 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

transitive verb

: to expel by coughing
often used with up
cough up mucus

cough

2 of 2 noun
1
: 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

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