copping (to)

present participle of cop (to), slang
as in confessing
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid the defendant made a deal with the prosecutor and copped to a lesser charge

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for copping (to)
Verb
  • The second season of the Netflix hit ended on a cliffhanger with Jackie (Rodriguez) and Cole (LaLonde) finally confessing their feelings for each other, but Cole’s brother — and Jackie’s boyfriend — Alex (Gentry) hears the confession.
    Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
  • During her trial, prosecutors played a recording of Yang confessing to Reuter's murder to a friend who was wearing a wire.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • This is a common leadership blind spot—especially among high performers—where admitting any vulnerability, or even pausing, feels indistinguishable from weakness.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • The school had begun admitting women to its full-time MBA program in 1963.
    Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Copping (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copping%20%28to%29. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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