Dictionary

cop-out en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Deverbal from cop out.

Meanings

1. (slang) Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.
   • His disappearance on the day of the audition was just a cop-out.
   • In the book, his conclusion is simple: capitalism is kaput, celebrity charity won’t plug holes, revolution is the only solution. Yet it also feels like a bit of a cop-out: he insists all this can be achieved through love, peace and understanding. 2014 October 11, Simon Hattenstone, “Russell Brand: ‘I want to address the alienation and despair’”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 01 Jul 2022:
   • “It’s interesting what he stayed away from,” said Cameron. “Look, I love the film-making, but I did feel that it was a bit of a moral cop-out.” 2025 July 2, Catherine Shoard, quoting James Cameron, “James Cameron calls Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer a ‘moral cop-out’”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2025:
2. (slang) An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.
   • It was a cop-out to say he couldn't sign the petition because he sprained his wrist.
3. (slang) A person who cops out.
   • He's always a cop-out when there's hard work to be done.
   • Even when they are talking one-on-one, we aren't allowed to see behind the posturing and emblematic language. The major exception to this is Da Mayor […] who is both scorned and respected, seen as both a cop-out and a hero. 1989 August 12, Kate Rushin, “Is Better Than Hollywood Good Enough?”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 5, page 8:

Forms

Translations (25)

de Drückebergerei (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · nl het terugkrabbelen (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · de Verpisserei (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · it furbata (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · nl iemand die afhaakt (a person who cops out) · it irresponsabile (a person who cops out) · es gambeta (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · ru отгово́рка (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · pl wymówka (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · nl smoes (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · it pretesto (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · pl wymigiwanie się (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · es evasiva (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · it scansafatiche (a person who cops out) · it scusa (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · it fannullone (a person who cops out) · it lavativo (a person who cops out) · es efugio (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · de Ausflucht (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · pl osoba wymigująca się od pracy (a person who cops out) · de Ausrede (an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty) · nl het laten afweten (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · de Rückzieher (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · nl het zich onttrekken (avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty) · de Drückeberger (a person who cops out)