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
The tech entrepreneur first coughed up $500,000 in 2004 for a 10% stake in the company, just months into its creation—giving it a value of about $4.9 million.
—
Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Siakam coughed up the ball again 79 seconds later, then Nesmith followed suit with one of his own on the next possession.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
For much of Game Four, on Friday night, the Thunder continued to sputter, coughing up the ball and struggling to stay in front of driving players.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
To upgrade to the new hardware, existing Whoop users will now have to cough up, either by committing to a new 12-month membership or paying a one-time upgrade fee.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Siakam coughed up the ball again 79 seconds later, then Nesmith followed suit with one of his own on the next possession.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
For much of Game Four, on Friday night, the Thunder continued to sputter, coughing up the ball and struggling to stay in front of driving players.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
To upgrade to the new hardware, existing Whoop users will now have to cough up, either by committing to a new 12-month membership or paying a one-time upgrade fee.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
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This often dampens enthusiasm, and indeed, the stock relinquished some of its gains in after-hours trading.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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The residence was purchased in the 1970s for just $900,000 by the late radio concert promoter and radio station magnate Ken Roberts, who wound up relinquishing it to the financial services firm New Stream Capital in 2010 to settle a $27.5 million legal claim.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
15 July 2025
Verb
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But lo and behold, this stonewashed cotton coverlet, in a white-and-sand-colored check, proves that even offbeat patterns can come across as understated when rendered in a gentle palette.—
Shoko Wanger,
Architectural Digest,
18 July 2025
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The bomb squad was called, and technicians rendered the device safe and collected it as evidence, according to the post.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Faced with no other option, the heartbroken family surrendered Draco to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC), despite having loved and raised him for over five years.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
20 July 2025
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Warren then surrendered Ozzie Albies’ second three-run homer in as many days in the fourth.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
20 July 2025
Verb
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Furphy, 20, delivered a ferocious dunk over Chicago Bulls rookie Noa Essengue during a Summer League matchup in Las Vegas on Monday, July 14 that left Nicole Briscoe and Ryan Smith in disbelief during their SportsCenter broadcast.—
Natasha Dye,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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When inhaled, ingested or applied topically, terpenes can also deliver therapeutic effects.—
Peter Su,
Rolling Stone,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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