verb

cope

KOHP

verb

To deal successfully with a difficult situation.

"She copes well with stress at work."

"He struggled to cope after losing his job."

noun

(slang) A coping mechanism, comforting belief, or self-delusion someone relies on to get through a hard situation.

"His confidence that things will improve is really just cope."

How to Use Cope

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo manage or handle a tough situation without falling apart.

Common pairings

cope with stress cope with loss struggle to cope

Word Forms

coped past tense, coped past tense, coped past tense, coped past tense, cope plural, coped plural, copes plural, copes plural, copes singular, cope singular, coped singular, copest singular, copedst singular, copeth singular, copes singular, copes singular, copes singular

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Can you complete this real example?

She _____ well with stress at work.

Etymology

Ultimately from Old French coper/couper ("to strike, cut"), related to the idea of "trading blows" — the sense shifted over time from fighting to dealing with a problem generally.

Rhymes for cope

ope pope mope rope dope hope lope nope slope grope scope elope

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