cope
/ˈkoʊp/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.04 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A coping mechanism or self-delusion one clings to in order to endure a hopeless situation.
Slang
intj
A contemptuous dismissal, implying that someone should deal with some problem on their own and that the speaker will not engage any further.
Derogatory
Example Sentences
- "Chelsea were coping comfortably as Liverpool left Luis Suarez too isolated. Steven Gerrard was also being forced to drop too deep to offer support to the beleaguered Jay Spearing and Jordan Henderson rather than add attacking potency alongside the Uruguayan."
- "Phyllida Barlow, the sculptor representing the UK at the Venice Biennale, has said that while it may have taken the art world decades to pay attention to her work, the timing of her recognition was perfect, adding: “20 years ago, I wouldn’t have coped.”"
- "From transport to zoos: how UK services coped in the sweltering heat [title]"
- "the beak and talons should be closely coped"
- "There was some public grousing about the number of white supremacists attempting to recruit, however; some incels argued that white supremacy was just another "cope"–just another self-deluding attempt to cover over the grim truth of the blackpill."
- "My only 2 copes for the past 3 years have been food & the internet/surfing. Both of these copes have only hurt me further as I have addictions to both sugar and the internet now and have isolated myself further and further into the oblivion."
Etymology
From Middle English coupen, from Old French coper, couper (“to strike, to cut”). The noun use went mainstream around 2020.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkoʊp/
- British English: /ˈkəʊp/
Usage
Inflected Forms
copes (present, singular)
coping (participle, present)
coped (participle, past)
coped (past)
no-table-tags (table tags)
glossary (inflection template)
coped (first person, past)
copest (archaic, present)
coped (past, second person)
copedst (archaic, past)
copeth (archaic, present)
coped (past, singular)