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
Relevance
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
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
That same year, the ultimate outlier came with the Cleveland Browns coughing up a fortune (including three first-rounders among seven picks) for Deshaun Watson’s exit from Houston.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
Consumers have had to cough up more cash to keep up with businesses’ rising costs.
—Hannah Parker, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
In his lone start last year with Young out with a high ankle sprain, Dalton was overmatched in a 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, getting sacked seven times and coughing up three turnovers.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
That same year, the ultimate outlier came with the Cleveland Browns coughing up a fortune (including three first-rounders among seven picks) for Deshaun Watson’s exit from Houston.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
Consumers have had to cough up more cash to keep up with businesses’ rising costs.
—Hannah Parker, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
In his lone start last year with Young out with a high ankle sprain, Dalton was overmatched in a 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, getting sacked seven times and coughing up three turnovers.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 19 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
-
But the city could soon render all that moot and clear the way.—
Sofi Zeman
March 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Sun and star motifs rendered in gold enhance the gem’s night sky coloring, while the classic flower designs celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Louis Vuitton Monogram.—
Claire Salinda,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
