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
Lakers lost 128-106 to Pistons on LeBron’s 41st birthday as Detroit dominated the paint with 74 points while the Lakers coughed up 21 turnovers.
—
Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The $294 a month that residential customers paid at the outset of 2024 was 22% higher than the $241 a month PG&E ratepayers had to cough up in January 2023.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
But on the very next play, following a touchback, running back Chuba Hubbard coughed up the ball and it was recovered by Seattle.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
On the Dolphins’ first drive, tight end Greg Dulcich coughed up the ball on third down that defensive end Myles Murphy eventually recovered.
—Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The $294 a month that residential customers paid at the outset of 2024 was 22% higher than the $241 a month PG&E ratepayers had to cough up in January 2023.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
But on the very next play, following a touchback, running back Chuba Hubbard coughed up the ball and it was recovered by Seattle.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
On the Dolphins’ first drive, tight end Greg Dulcich coughed up the ball on third down that defensive end Myles Murphy eventually recovered.
—Miami Herald, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
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The supply issue partly reflects years of underbuilding after the 2008 financial crisis, as well as the reluctance of homeowners who locked in ultra-low mortgage rates during the ensuing recession to relinquish their properties.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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What impresses Lanthimos most is Plemons’ willingness to relinquish control.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This transformation renders the target — the frozen limit — a finite object that a finite computer can handle.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Jan. 2026
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Its three glittering diamonds had a powerful effect on Sophie Rhys-Jones—rendering her speechless.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At last check Caleb resigned and surrendered his teaching license.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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As of Monday morning, it’s not known if Busfield is in custody or has made arrangements to surrender himself to authorities in New Mexico.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The moratorium will halt the initial stages of free agency in which teams would seek to deliver qualifying offers and franchise tag designations to players.—
Doug Feinberg,
Twin Cities,
13 Jan. 2026
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Barajas and other co-defendants picked up the parcels and delivered them to Thola-Duran and others, with Thola-Duran acting as a fence to buy the goods at a fraction of their retail value, according to the indictment.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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