cough up

Definition of cough upnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cough up That could mean billions of additional dollars being coughed up by already cost-conscious traditional rightsholders like Fox, NBCUniversal and CBS/Paramount. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026 Loyal Trump supporters are coughing up five-digit sums to their respective national fundraising committees for a ticket. — Zak Hudak, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 For weeks, lawmakers have complained about exorbitant fees for the privilege of attending their own party’s event — with some VIP tickets costing as much as $250,000 and lawmakers having to cough up $25,000 to attend. — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 Symptoms include, among others, a persistent cough for three or more weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood and a fever. — Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
  • Moon, meanwhile, is struggling at school but on the precipice of adulthood; as the young woman begins to make her own decisions in life, Yue must relinquish a degree of maternal responsibility.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • With all the characters in the show, but with Margaret in particular, there’s this exploration of losing control, taking control and relinquishing control.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Two decades ago, Nvidia was largely known for manufacturing the GPUs that allowed computers to render 3D graphics on videogames.
    — Tamlin Magee, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Cress agreed with Sacramento County prosecutors, who argued Kaur did not get out of her sport utility vehicle to check on the unconscious Lopez after striking his motorcycle or attempt to render aid.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This is a place to take a risk, to surrender, and at the very least, to experience something that can only happen for you in that moment — something altogether fleeting that is just yours.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Within a minute of the puck hitting the ice, the Dons surrendered the first breakaway.
    — Richie McGinniss, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this year, the Dutch adaptation launched on RTL4 to more than 1 million viewers and a Polish version delivered TVN’s biggest primetime launch in five years, according to TF1.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Moscow — By agreeing to open Russia’s taps and release hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel into a starving global market, the Kremlin has achieved something that raw military might on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine could never deliver.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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