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
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Recent Examples of 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
Those who don’t will probably view it as a cop-out — which is understandable!
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Recommending an antidepressant felt like a cop-out.
—Connie Bennett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Mine is probably a cop-out too.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
Others may see it as a cop-out to make up for a short discography.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
Again, this isn’t a cop-out, but the familiarity doesn’t give either side an edge.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 July 2025
This is a bit of a cop-out, but there’s not much drama in the room unless injury hits.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 July 2025
Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
But with that brief wave of hope came new footage on Twitter every night of the NYPD acting like bad cops out of a Harvey Keitel flick: cops harassing peaceful crowds, cops kettling activists, cops literally driving a car into a crowd of protestors.
—Maris Kreizman, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
The relative lack of substance across the board can’t help feeling like a cop out for a show that’s been capable of a lot more.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 14 June 2025
About 20 minutes later, the two cops out in front were joined by a third officer.
—Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Sometimes that feels like a bit of a cop out.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024
Noun
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
Those who don’t will probably view it as a cop-out — which is understandable!
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Recommending an antidepressant felt like a cop-out.
—Connie Bennett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Mine is probably a cop-out too.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025
Others may see it as a cop-out to make up for a short discography.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
Again, this isn’t a cop-out, but the familiarity doesn’t give either side an edge.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 27 July 2025
This is a bit of a cop-out, but there’s not much drama in the room unless injury hits.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 July 2025
Verb
On Thursday, there were 652 officers on the force, with nearly 100 cops out on some kind of administrative or medical leave.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
But with that brief wave of hope came new footage on Twitter every night of the NYPD acting like bad cops out of a Harvey Keitel flick: cops harassing peaceful crowds, cops kettling activists, cops literally driving a car into a crowd of protestors.
—Maris Kreizman, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
The relative lack of substance across the board can’t help feeling like a cop out for a show that’s been capable of a lot more.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 14 June 2025
About 20 minutes later, the two cops out in front were joined by a third officer.
—Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Sometimes that feels like a bit of a cop out.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cop-out
Noun
-
In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable and even scary, cozy romances offer the perfect escape.—
Emilia Emerson,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The 60 rooms and nine suites are bright and breezy, perfect for an island escape in the city.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Shanahan was asked if Jones' solid play has any effect on how quickly the team gets Purdy back out on the field.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
All the charges, however, weren't bail-eligible due to the state's 2019 no-bail law, sending Gooding back out onto the streets.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
After the 1994 season, he was charged with tax evasion.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Strawberry was indicted for tax evasion and pleaded guilty in 1995 to a felony charge for failing to report $350,000 in income from autograph signings, personal appearances and memorabilia sales.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
But Boise State didn’t back down.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But Hélène Lacombe is an expert in small spaces, and not one to back down from a challenge which, in this studio, was creating a real living room.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
These movements, called avoidance maneuvers, already happen tens of thousands of times every year.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The growing importance of collision avoidance The US operates by far the most satellites in low Earth orbit, thanks largely to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Raptors guard Jose Calderon backed off and Lin pulled up.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Dado Ruvic | Reuters Bitcoin on Tuesday plunged below $100,000 for the first time in more than four months, as cryptocurrency holders backed off the risk-on asset amid growing concerns about the sustainability of stock valuations driven to stratospheric heights by the artificial intelligence trade.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In a 2017 oral history of the notorious scene, One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn recalled that the origins of the scene lay in the idea of cultivating some sympathy for the villainous Dan.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
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Clarkson recalled that former boyfriend musician Graham Colton introduced her to Griffin’s music.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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