1
: the act or an instance of copping out
2
: an excuse or means for copping out : pretext
3
: a person who cops out
copped out; copping out; cops out
1
: to back out (as of an unwanted responsibility)
cop out on jury duty
2
: to avoid or neglect problems, responsibilities, or commitments
accused the mayor of copping out on the issue
Synonyms
Examples of cop-out in a Sentence
Noun
I think that saying you're sick is just a cop-out to get out of going to work
Verb
don't cop out on your promise to pay for the damage
Recent Examples on the Web
Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
The first would be seen as a cop-out by hawkish elements in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which saw one of its facilities hit and its missile production capacity depleted.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
And that is not a cop-out answer, but the correct answer.
—Dane Brugler, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
So many movies depict tech bringing out the worst in people, leaving us with the sort of cop-out villainy of computers are bad!
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2024
But to shift that responsibility back onto your consumers (by enticing them with a gift card) feels like a cop-out.
—Lindy Segal, Curbed, 18 Sep. 2024
Alcohol was frequently mentioned as a contributing factor to this mindset, suggesting that—in some cases—intoxication provided an easy cop-out for the affair.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
It’s often dismissed as a trivial punishment for children, or as an easy cop-out for difficult conversations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
Refusing to continue isn’t a cop-out so much as an affirmation of everything else precious that fills one’s days.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, also condemned Israel’s move dubbing it a cop out.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
As for Butler, his answer was Timothée Chalamet, which is a cop out.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2024
The performances by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as, respectively, a thief and the cop out to catch him bring such intensity and power to the film.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Needless to say, my hot glue gun gets a lot of action, and after my last one copped out, my shopping research brought me to a life-changing discovery: cordless glue guns actually exist.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023
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Noun
To some sequins and tones like black and gold could be viewed as easy cop-outs.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
The first would be seen as a cop-out by hawkish elements in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which saw one of its facilities hit and its missile production capacity depleted.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2024
And that is not a cop-out answer, but the correct answer.
—Dane Brugler, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
So many movies depict tech bringing out the worst in people, leaving us with the sort of cop-out villainy of computers are bad!
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2024
But to shift that responsibility back onto your consumers (by enticing them with a gift card) feels like a cop-out.
—Lindy Segal, Curbed, 18 Sep. 2024
Alcohol was frequently mentioned as a contributing factor to this mindset, suggesting that—in some cases—intoxication provided an easy cop-out for the affair.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
It’s often dismissed as a trivial punishment for children, or as an easy cop-out for difficult conversations.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
Refusing to continue isn’t a cop-out so much as an affirmation of everything else precious that fills one’s days.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
Verb
About 20 minutes later, the two cops out in front were joined by a third officer.
—Melody Chiu, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
The judges avoid giving critiques to the girls this week but do talk among one another, which is kind of weird but also means that nobody gets to cop out of Rate-a-Queen and just imitate the judges.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, also condemned Israel’s move dubbing it a cop out.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 July 2024
He was walked by cops out of the 105th Precinct in handcuffs Thursday morning and later arraigned in Queens Criminal Supreme Court on murder charges.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 30 May 2024
As for Butler, his answer was Timothée Chalamet, which is a cop out.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2024
The performances by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as, respectively, a thief and the cop out to catch him bring such intensity and power to the film.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024
Needless to say, my hot glue gun gets a lot of action, and after my last one copped out, my shopping research brought me to a life-changing discovery: cordless glue guns actually exist.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near cop-out
Cite this Entry
“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cop-out. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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