cop out

verb

To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

“Somebody should have copped him out last night.”

Similar
goof offweasel outblow offdogdossduckflinchgoldbrick
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Meanings

verbcop out (third-person singular simple present cops out, present participle copping out, simple past and past participle copped out)

present singular third person cops out · participle present copping out · participle past copped out · past copped out

  1. idiomaticTo avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

    Faced with the prospect of cooking for himself, his first thought was to cop out and order a pizza.

    1 more example

    There was no bird fair at Druridge so I didn't have to feel guilty about copping out of it.

    2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 67

    Synonyms: goof off, weasel out, blow off, dog, doss, duck, flinch, goldbrick

  2. To plead guilty and ask for mercy.
  3. idiomaticslangTo blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble.

    His lawyer copped him out on just one felony charge.

  4. USdatedidiomaticTo remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment.

    Somebody should have copped him out last night.

  5. To leave a gang.

    I can't believe you copped out on us.

  6. idiomaticslangTo abandon, let down or betray (someone).

    She thought I'd copped out on her.

    Synonyms: double-cross, sell out, stab in the back, assfuck, betray, burn, cross out, cross up

  7. idiomaticslangtransitiveTo win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

Similar
goof offweasel outblow offdogdossduckflinchgoldbrickgoof offlollygagmalingerprocrastinateshirkshrinkslack offsoldierswing the leadweasel out

verbTo abandon, let down or betray (someone).

Similar
double-crosssell outstab in the backassfuckbetrayburncross outcross updouble-crossdo someone dirtydo the dirty onfalsego back onknifelet downplay someone falsequislerenegadesell

More synonyms by meaning

verbchoose not to do something, as out of fear of failing

Similar
opt out
Broader
choosepreferopt
Also see
accuseassfuckbetrayblameburncross outcross updefamedenouncedo someone dirtydo the dirty ondouble-crossfalsego back oninculpateknifelet downlollygagopt outplay someone falsequislerenegadesellsell downsell down the riversell outsell the passshirkstab in the backswiketraitorizeturncoattwitweasel out

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Attested since 1942 as “flee, escape, cop (an) out”.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish laistaa
  • laistaato avoid or shirk
French se défiler
  • se défilerto avoid or shirk
Greek λουφάρω
  • λουφάρω (loufáro)to avoid or shirk
Polish wymigiwać się, wymigać się
  • wymigiwać sięto avoid or shirk
  • wymigać sięto avoid or shirk
  • wykręcać sięto avoid or shirk
  • wykręcić sięto avoid or shirk
  • wić się jak piskorzto avoid or shirk
Russian уви́ливать, увильну́ть
  • уви́ливать (uvílivatʹ)to avoid or shirk
  • увильну́ть (uvilʹnútʹ)to avoid or shirk
  • уклоня́ться (uklonjátʹsja)to avoid or shirk
  • уклони́ться (uklonítʹsja)to avoid or shirk
  • отверте́ться (otvertétʹsja)to avoid or shirk
Cite this entry
APA

cop out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cop%20out

MLA

“cop out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cop%20out. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cop out,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cop%20out.

Source: cop out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.