as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable
I think that saying you're sick is just a cop-out to get out of going to work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to back out
to break a promise or agreement
don't cop out on your promise to pay for the damage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of cop-out
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
But merely saying that is a cop-out.
—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Maybe that’s a cop-out — an excuse to not deliver the narrative oomph most features need to feel substantial, or worthwhile.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
1 Feb. 2026
Retreating to one’s room in the middle of the day feels like a cop-out at many places, but here the indoor-outdoor flow transforms a late-afternoon nap into a pleasure without the guilt.
—
Alex Postman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Claiming that the shooter was still gathering is a cop-out by the refs.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Jan. 2026
In another day and age, the move might appear cheap — a cop-out that suggests cinematic universes and spin-offs and good old-fashioned comeuppance.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
But in the wake of that buildup, the film's shockingly anticlimactic ending also feels like somewhat of a cop-out.
—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Claiming victimhood was a cop-out; those who made accusations of assault were ridiculed.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
The case, which has only recently come to the attention of POST officials, highlights the limits of state oversight even after lawmakers passed significant police reform aimed at forcing dishonest cops out of the profession.
—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Climb the 900-odd steps (or cop out in a car) for a walk through its eight baroque bastions and some breathtaking views.
—
Helen Brown,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
Rather than throwing those bad cops out of the union and asking for better training so cops will never have to ask what to do when a fellow cop appears to have broken the law, Hendry encourages them.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Herman views the administration’s statements about the complexity of the refund process—and the need for the CIT’s intervention—as a bit of a cop out.
—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
But the union is not wrong to call this a cop-out, either.
—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
But merely saying that is a cop-out.
—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Maybe that’s a cop-out — an excuse to not deliver the narrative oomph most features need to feel substantial, or worthwhile.
—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
1 Feb. 2026
Retreating to one’s room in the middle of the day feels like a cop-out at many places, but here the indoor-outdoor flow transforms a late-afternoon nap into a pleasure without the guilt.
—
Alex Postman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Claiming that the shooter was still gathering is a cop-out by the refs.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Jan. 2026
In another day and age, the move might appear cheap — a cop-out that suggests cinematic universes and spin-offs and good old-fashioned comeuppance.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
But in the wake of that buildup, the film's shockingly anticlimactic ending also feels like somewhat of a cop-out.
—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Claiming victimhood was a cop-out; those who made accusations of assault were ridiculed.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Strategic shakeup Usually buying and selling is a cop out, but with where the Red Sox are in their competitive cycle the approach might make some sense.
—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
The case, which has only recently come to the attention of POST officials, highlights the limits of state oversight even after lawmakers passed significant police reform aimed at forcing dishonest cops out of the profession.
—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Climb the 900-odd steps (or cop out in a car) for a walk through its eight baroque bastions and some breathtaking views.
—
Helen Brown,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
Rather than throwing those bad cops out of the union and asking for better training so cops will never have to ask what to do when a fellow cop appears to have broken the law, Hendry encourages them.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
Herman views the administration’s statements about the complexity of the refund process—and the need for the CIT’s intervention—as a bit of a cop out.
—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cop-out
Noun
-
The guests’ request for an escape-room experience, while annoying, is much more understandable.
-
This small city on Florida’s central Gulf Coast offers an escape everyone in the family will enjoy, from toddlers all the way up to the grandparents.
Verb
-
Allow both arms to extend back out and continue this pattern for 12 repetitions, two sets.
-
Crews were back out on Saturday to search for a man who Elgin police said was running away with a large knife and went into the Fox River after an incident Friday morning.
Noun
-
The athlete does not let himself be dribbled by the slightest sensitive subject, practicing an art of evasion beneath an XXL smile, under warm spotlights that illuminate his blue linen suit.
-
The sheriff’s office reports hundreds of arrests, dozens of fugitives apprehended and weapons recovered, along with declines in fare evasion and crime where deputies have been deployed.
Verb
-
Three people had apparently been killed, but the men behind the coup had backed down and Gorbachev was being released.
-
Whether La Roja earns another star or comes crashing back down to earth remains to be seen.
Noun
-
The conditions that drive transmission — silence, shame, and avoidance — remain largely unchanged.
-
Obstacle avoidance is critical, as is collecting visual data of plant health and lighting conditions (natural and artificial LED illumination) for correlations over time, to improve yield.
Verb
-
Uzbekistan went close to an equaliser before Jaminton Campaz scored in stoppage time, immediately followed by a shot at the other end that thundered back off the crossbar.
-
Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.
Verb
-
Teammate Jordan Henderson, now at his fourth World Cup, recalled Kane scoring twice in the opener against Croatia to match Lineker and mistakenly thought this mark was already in Kane’s sole possession.
-
Amon recalled facing questions in 2021 about why Qualcomm was chasing so many rabbits at once, between developing its automotive business, its PC chips and industrial applications.
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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