cough up

verb

coughed up; coughing up; coughs up

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.
Sherrod’s fumble ended a promising drive inside the USF 40, and redshirt freshman Sire Gaines coughed up the football on a running play at the USF 16 late in the second quarter, ending another good drive. Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 29 Aug. 2025 Each room coughs up its contents like a kid with consumption. Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 29 Aug. 2025 Now, the Blue Jays will likely need to cough up well over $100 million to sign Bichette. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025 Tennessee isn't the only state that may have to cough up more cash for car insurance. Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 22 Aug. 2025 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 6 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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