cough up

Definition of cough upnext
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cough up That could mean billions of additional dollars being coughed up by already cost-conscious traditional rightsholders like Fox, NBCUniversal and CBS/Paramount. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026 Loyal Trump supporters are coughing up five-digit sums to their respective national fundraising committees for a ticket. — Zak Hudak, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 For weeks, lawmakers have complained about exorbitant fees for the privilege of attending their own party’s event — with some VIP tickets costing as much as $250,000 and lawmakers having to cough up $25,000 to attend. — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 Symptoms include, among others, a persistent cough for three or more weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood and a fever. — Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
  • Tate Nagy relinquished punt return duties to Keaton Kubecka Saturday.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And now, after its award-winning world premiere in the Next Wave competition at Fantastic Fest and a major screening at Zurich Film Festival, Schulman is slowly but surely relinquishing control.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Two decades ago, Nvidia was largely known for manufacturing the GPUs that allowed computers to render 3D graphics on videogames.
    — Tamlin Magee, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Cress agreed with Sacramento County prosecutors, who argued Kaur did not get out of her sport utility vehicle to check on the unconscious Lopez after striking his motorcycle or attempt to render aid.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This is a place to take a risk, to surrender, and at the very least, to experience something that can only happen for you in that moment — something altogether fleeting that is just yours.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Within a minute of the puck hitting the ice, the Dons surrendered the first breakaway.
    — Richie McGinniss, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As reported, Golden Goose continued to deliver strong growth in the first half of 2026, supported by an acceleration in its direct-to-consumer channel and double-digit gains across all regions.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • RoboParty also revealed that the RP1 delivers peak joint torque of up to 160 N•m.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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