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
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Recent Examples of cough up
To upgrade to the new hardware, existing Whoop users will now have to cough up, either by committing to a new 12-month membership or paying a one-time upgrade fee.
—
Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 10 May 2025
In the standings San Diego Padres (23-13, 2nd in NL West)
The Padres began the road trip with four straight wins before the bullpen coughed up leads the last two games in the Bronx.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025
The Thunder have also coughed up at least 14 turnovers in four of the last five games in this series.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
With the chance to win its maiden championship, Oklahoma City coughed up 21 turnovers and committed 20 fouls.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 10 May 2025
In the standings San Diego Padres (23-13, 2nd in NL West)
The Padres began the road trip with four straight wins before the bullpen coughed up leads the last two games in the Bronx.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025
The Thunder have also coughed up at least 14 turnovers in four of the last five games in this series.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
With the chance to win its maiden championship, Oklahoma City coughed up 21 turnovers and committed 20 fouls.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cough up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cough up
Verb
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While Israel wants to eradicate Hamas following the Oct. 7 attacks, the group has shown little willingness to relinquish its political and military power in Gaza.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
5 July 2025
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Lesson 4: Less data, better decisions Without her phone, my wife had to relinquish her customary role as the navigator.—
JJ Rosen,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Chinese electric vehicles are becoming far more attractive, rendering Tesla's cars less appealing, particularly in global markets.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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The government says that services rendered while a fugitive from your master are not recognized.—
Jonquilyn Hill,
Vox,
6 July 2025
Verb
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Octavia Graham, 52, surrendered herself to authorities June 30 following a warrant for her arrest.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 July 2025
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However, he’s now surrendered four dingers over seven games since coming off the IL.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Night one of the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture’s Evening Concert series at the Caesars Superdome delivered a dynamic mix of legends and rising stars, reminding festival-goers why these concerts remain the weekend’s crown jewel.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
5 July 2025
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Starting July 11, Newsweek Sports Betting Editor Tyler Everett will deliver his weekly takes on what to bet on during the upcoming weekend -- and why -- ➡️ to your inbox every Friday.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cough%20up. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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