cough up

verb

coughed up; coughing up; coughs up
Synonyms of cough upnext

transitive verb

1
: hand over, deliver
cough up the money
2
: to lose possession of (a ball or puck) during a game
the quarterback coughed up the ball

Examples of cough up in a Sentence

finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
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.
An embarrassed Bush was forced to cough up a $130 fine for killing the wrong bird. Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026 Then, Nolan’s parents put his fighting skills to the test with a brutal beatdown, but things quickly take a turn as Viltrumites around the planet start coughing up blood. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 That game featured the Stars coughing up a late lead thanks to a Valeri Nichuskin goal with 14 seconds left in regulation. Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026 Other local politicians have also coughed up remarkably few text messages in response to public records requests. Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cough up

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cough up was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough%20up. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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