as in relinquished
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 coughed up
Even taking into account the buy-out clauses Abramovich paid Porto to hire Villas-Boas and Clearlake and its partners coughed up for Brighton’s Graham Potter, coaches do not cost anywhere near as much as players.
—
James Horncastle, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The true nature of Colby’s identity and place in the community, however, is coughed up late into the film via a predictable twist that generates broad laughs but feels below a filmmaker of Decker’s intelligence.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
That is almost double what spectators would have coughed up for entry into last year’s matchup, according to ticket-sales analyst Victory Resale.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2026
Brooklyn struggled to generate anything clean, coughed up seven turnovers that led to 14 Clippers points, and shot just 37% from the field and 25% from 3-point range in the first half.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2026
The ball was coughed up by Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright, and the Patriots took over possession at the Dolphins’ 37-yard line.
—Doug Kyed, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2026
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
And the unit as a whole coughed up two giveaways that led to 14 points for the opposition.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
Robinson even coughed up a fumble in the red zone.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
James Horncastle, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
The true nature of Colby’s identity and place in the community, however, is coughed up late into the film via a predictable twist that generates broad laughs but feels below a filmmaker of Decker’s intelligence.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
That is almost double what spectators would have coughed up for entry into last year’s matchup, according to ticket-sales analyst Victory Resale.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2026
Brooklyn struggled to generate anything clean, coughed up seven turnovers that led to 14 Clippers points, and shot just 37% from the field and 25% from 3-point range in the first half.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2026
The ball was coughed up by Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright, and the Patriots took over possession at the Dolphins’ 37-yard line.
—Doug Kyed, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2026
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
And the unit as a whole coughed up two giveaways that led to 14 points for the opposition.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
Robinson even coughed up a fumble in the red zone.
—Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coughed up
Verb
-
There’s Brownie, a stray boa constrictor who was wandering in an apartment complex and Kiki, a shy kinkajou, who was relinquished when his caregiver became ill.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The Patriots never relinquished the lead.—
Joseph Duarte,
Houston Chronicle,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Contrast stitching emphasizes the split between the collar and the rest of the upper, which are each rendered in different colorways.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
There’s also the good, sure work of Chris Cooper as an honest man struggling against adversity, and the reserved but effective portrayal rendered by Schroder.—
Miles Beller,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was released on $600,000 bond, surrendered his passport and was ordered to limit his travel to New York and Ohio, refrain from gambling and submit to GPS monitoring.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
In October, not long after Andrew and Sarah surrendered their respective Duke and Duchess of York titles, King Charles stripped Andrew of all of his royal titles and privileges.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Savannah Guthrie, joined by her siblings, Annie and Cameron, delivered an emotional video plea directly addressing her mother’s potential abductor, begging for her safe return.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Since its founding in 1994, Convoy of Hope has delivered hundreds of millions of meals and provided clean water to millions of people.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Andrade turned over his records to the State Attorney’s Office in Leon County, as well as the FBI.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
-
After being pronounced dead, her body was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The announcement that Floridians turned in 5,195 invasive green iguanas to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in two days came on Wednesday during the FWC’s February Commission meeting in Tallahassee,.—
WPEC Staff,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Once again, DeSoto has turned in a 5A figure.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Then, prosecutors say, the source handed over the cards, the defendants gave him the money — and agents arrested the defendants.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Russell, who had been with Bad Wolf for just over two years, handed over to Crowther, who was previously an exec at the Doctor Who outfit, at the start of 2026.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coughed up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coughed%20up. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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