cop-out

[ kop-out ]

noun

, Informal.

1. an act or instance of copping out; reneging; evasion:

   The governor's platform was a cop-out.

2. a person who cops out:

   Everyone helped as they had promised, except for one cop-out.

cop out

verb

1. intr, adverb to fail to assume responsibility or to commit oneself

noun

1. an instance of avoiding responsibility or commitment
2. a person who acts in this way

Word History and Origins

Origin of cop-out¹

First recorded in 1940–45; noun use of verb phrase cop out

Word History and Origins

Origin of cop-out¹

C20: probably from cop ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Back out of a responsibility or commitment; also, take the easy way out. For example, Don't count on him; he's been known to fake illness and cop out , or She'll cop out and let her assistant do all the work . These meanings are derived from the underworld slang use of cop out for backing down or surrendering. [Late 1950s]

Example Sentences

Will it cop out and portray events as happening in a character’s imagination?

From Seattle Times

Chalking it all up to bad luck seems a cop out.

From Seattle Times

Sean Donovan was 14 when he knew he had gender dysphoria and said it was a "cop out" that Wales did not have a service for young people.

From BBC

The Sierra Club and all the other language cops out there might consider the implications of this before they go cleansing their arguments of any image that might exclude somebody.

From Washington Post

It reminded me there were others like him, who really had become cops out of a heartfelt desire to “protect and serve” their fellow citizens.

From Washington Post