as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
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Recent Examples of cough up
Paramount’s winning offer was $31 (plus coughing up a bunch of billion-dollar incentives).
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
The Wolverines coughed up 14 total turnovers, which led to 14 points for the Gophers, and that helped Minnesota keep it closer.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
During Wings’ lifetime, Band on the Run was universally regarded as their masterpiece, while Ram was considered on the aesthetic level of Martha coughing up a hairball.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
Consumers have had to cough up more cash to keep up with businesses’ rising costs.
—Hannah Parker, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cough up
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
The Wolverines coughed up 14 total turnovers, which led to 14 points for the Gophers, and that helped Minnesota keep it closer.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
During Wings’ lifetime, Band on the Run was universally regarded as their masterpiece, while Ram was considered on the aesthetic level of Martha coughing up a hairball.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
Consumers have had to cough up more cash to keep up with businesses’ rising costs.
—Hannah Parker, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
-
Our hope is that the Islamic Republic will relinquish power and transfer it to the people.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
-
China, historically the largest driver of the country’s overall trade deficit in goods, has relinquished its status in that regard.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three of these factors played a key role in rendering the AXIS mission ineligible for selection.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
-
At the conclusion of closing arguments, the court will issue a decision or the jury will render a verdict.—
Florence Taylor Barner,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The policy, implemented last fall, prompted most Pentagon reporters to surrender their credentials rather than agree to restrictions.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Second- and third-round picks usually only return depth players at the deadline, but Columbus has acquired a legitimate difference-maker with term beyond this season without surrendering a first-round pick or any prospects.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And the loss of Amarion Dickerson, who would’ve been a key rotation piece, ended up being a major blow for a team that was counting on everyone at the top of the rotation to deliver.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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The remarks, delivered to Standard Bank executives and reported for the first time by Semafor, captured the growing unease among policymakers about how quickly the external shocks can undermine domestic planning, especially for an open, import-dependent economy like South Africa.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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