copping (to)

present participle of cop (to), slang
as in confessing
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid the defendant made a deal with the prosecutor and copped to a lesser charge

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for copping (to)
Verb
  • On July 23, 1973, tragedy rippled through the Mexican American community when 12-year-old Santos Rodriguez was shot and killed by a Dallas police officer who tried to coerce him into confessing to a burglary by playing Russian roulette.
    — Alexis Guerrero, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Throw in some divine intervention with the first Chicago pope confessing his allegiance to the South Siders, and the Cinderella story has captured the nation’s imagination.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The president, who generally resists admitting fault, has recently made several reversals responding to ethical concerns.
    — Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The hospital has been placed under quarantine, Mayor Maxim Modin said Friday, no longer admitting or discharging patients, and its laboratory halted carrying out routine tests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Copping (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copping%20%28to%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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