cop-out 1 of 2

as in escape
the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable I think that saying you're sick is just a cop-out to get out of going to work

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cop out

2 of 2

verb

Examples of cop-out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
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 But in addition to being just plain dumb, that conclusion also seems like a cop-out. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 3 May 2024 Calling the cops is in effect a cop-out, an abdication of universities’ role as clearinghouses of debate and ideas. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2024 Other physicists, though, consider this philosophy a cop-out. Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021 This includes an epilogue that feels, no pun intended, like a total cop-out. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2024 Many in the brewing industry saw it as a cop-out employed by brewers lacking passion or proficiency. Brandon Hernández, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Jan. 2024
Verb
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 Plus, fashion needs to be breathable in the summer months, and what’s an easy cop out for stuffy styles? Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 22 June 2023 But to critics, that has seemed like a cop out, and rejection of the more forceful position of oil majors such as ExxonMobil and BP that have endorsed a carbon price. Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, 14 Jan. 2021 Terrible cop out of a call. Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cop-out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Cop-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cop-out. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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