What does "cop-out" mean?

Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

What is a synonym for "cop-out"?

Common synonyms include: abstention, accommodation, adjustment, alibi, arrangement, bargain.

noun, slang

noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level

Noun

1
Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out. slang
"His disappearance on the day of the audition was just a cop-out."
2
An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out. slang
"It was a cop-out to say he couldn't sign the petition because he sprained his wrist."
3
A person who cops out. slang
"He's always a cop-out when there's hard work to be done."

"His disappearance on the day of the audition was just a cop-out."

Deverbal from cop out.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.