cops 1 of 2

Definition of copsnext
plural of cop

cops

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cop, slang

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cops
Noun
An investigation is underway, cops said. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026 The cops walked into the home through an open garage and found the mother and son suffering from gunshot wounds in two different parts of the house, according to court records. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 The top cops of states such as Arizona, California, Oregon, Maryland, New York and Vermont say that the White House is stretching the law past its limits. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026 Seven cops coming in to arrest me? Marissa Armas, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cops
Noun
  • Body camera footage from the officers who responded to the call show the 55-year-old advancing toward multiple policemen in the street with a knife in his hand.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The stunned policemen opened the door.
    Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • China buys large amounts of oil from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East – which have been affected by the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
    Jennifer Pak, NPR, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Formed in 1985, The Conservation Fund is a national nonprofit environmental organization that buys at-risk land with high conservation values for the purpose of turning it over to long-term ownership dedicated to environmental preservation.
    John Meyer, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Barber then grabs her firearm from her vehicle and Riley's girlfriend also retrieves an item from the vehicle, according to the complaint.
    Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Isabelle slides off Sarah’s lap, flings the towel, pulls on her swimming mask, grabs her mom’s hand and tugs her toward the pool.
    Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The partial government shutdown has meant that TSA officers are working but without regular paychecks.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Authorities said Balat dropped the second device on the west side of East End Avenue, between East 86th and East 87th streets, before officers took Balat and Nikk into custody.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The company purchases natural gas from the Transco and Columbia Gas Transmission pipelines connected to major shale production regions, including the Marcellus and Utica deposits which stretch from West Virginia to Canada and the Haynesville deposit which spans Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 10 Mar. 2026
  • An entity purchases an aging tanker that would otherwise be scrapped.
    Charles Edward Gehrke, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • As for the transfers, Rogers (33 catches for 441 yards in 2025) will assuredly be put to work as one of only two receivers on the team with more than three career starts.
    Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Perez nearly has one of her own, but Vestal catches the flyball at the warning track.
    Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Off stage, Benedick and Beatrice spar their way toward the aisle, while our bumbling constables take center stage.
    Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Agencies assisting included Tarrant County constables, police departments from Fort Worth and Forest Hill, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
    Doug Myers, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • There can be no darkness where our gaze lands.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Looking to catch soccer fever before World Cup officially lands in ATL?
    Access ATL, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cops. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cops

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster