cough up

verb

coughed up; coughing up; coughs up
Synonyms of cough upnext

transitive verb

1
: hand over, deliver
cough up the money
2
: to lose possession of (a ball or puck) during a game
the quarterback coughed up the ball

Synonyms of cough up

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Examples of cough up in a Sentence

finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Marlins lost, 4-2, after the bullpen coughed up the lead and after the offense went just 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 players on base. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 The fee is an initial payment, and the group will likely have to cough up more cash to cover Associated Newspapers Limited’s full legal bill, which has been estimated to be north of $46 million (£34 million). — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 Pitt receiver Tyreek Robinson’s fishing habit might never have reached Narduzzi’s attention if the Monongahela hadn’t coughed up a 5- to 6-pound bass worth bragging about. — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 At the time this post went live, the assistant continued to cough up the data, despite xAI being informed of it in June. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cough up

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cough up was in 1890

Rhymes for cough up

See All Rhymes for cough up

Browse Nearby Words

cough syrup
cough up
coughweed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough%20up. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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