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
That game featured the Stars coughing up a late lead thanks to a Valeri Nichuskin goal with 14 seconds left in regulation.
—
Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Other local politicians have also coughed up remarkably few text messages in response to public records requests.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Facing a structural deficit, the next governor will have to cut programs and raise taxes, not just one or the other, with corporations and California’s richest residents being forced to cough up more.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Typically, Gunnar had to keep his time on the ice short due to his difficulty breathing, often coughing up mucus when returning from his shift.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Other local politicians have also coughed up remarkably few text messages in response to public records requests.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
Facing a structural deficit, the next governor will have to cut programs and raise taxes, not just one or the other, with corporations and California’s richest residents being forced to cough up more.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Typically, Gunnar had to keep his time on the ice short due to his difficulty breathing, often coughing up mucus when returning from his shift.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
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The United States has offered Iran a 15-point proposal for a ceasefire that includes it relinquishing control of the strait, but at the same time has ordered thousands more troops to the region — possibly in preparation for a military attempt to wrest the waterway from Iran.—
David Rising,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Bohm’s lawsuit demands at least $3 million in damages and that his parents relinquish control of the accounts.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gulf nations are highly reliant on desalination for fresh water, and damage to the region’s hundreds of plants could render its major cities unlivable, The Associated Press reported; attacks by any side could constitute war crimes.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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The fresh precipitation had rendered the thin roads above Lake Tahoe almost indistinguishable from the frosted forests around them.—
Namir Khaliq,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Boston College pledge, junior Maddie Richey surrendered just 1 hit over 4 innings while striking out 8 for Country Day (4-2 overall, 1-0 confernece).—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
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Caleb Elliott surrendered his teaching license and remains in jail on multiple federal charges.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The other standout was the breakfast basket that gets delivered like clockwork to your room each morning, including fresh pastries, muesli, fruit, yogurt, eggs, coffee, and juice.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Jaime, who had on a yellow reflective vest and a helmet, held up his phone near his supervisor’s and, courtesy of the FarEye app, instantly received the coördinates for the packages—a total of forty-five—he’d be delivering.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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