- (intransitive) followed by with:
to contend (against) - (intransitive)
to deal successfully with or handle a situation; manage: she coped well with the problem
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
cope1 /koʊp/USA pronunciation
v., coped, cop•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- [~ + with + object] to struggle on fairly even terms or with some success: I will try to cope with his rudeness.
- [no object] to deal with responsibilities calmly: After his breakdown he couldn't cope any longer.
cope1
(kōp),USA pronunciation v., coped, cop•ing.
v.i.
v.t.
cope′less, adj.
cope′less•ness, n.
cope2 (kōp),USA pronunciation n., v., coped, cop•ing.
n.
v.t.
cope3 (kōp),USA pronunciation v.t., coped, cop•ing.
cope4 (kōp),USA pronunciation v.t., coped, cop•ing. [Brit.]
v.i.
- to struggle or deal, esp. on fairly even terms or with some degree of success (usually fol. by with):I will try to cope with his rudeness.
- to face and deal with responsibilities, problems, or difficulties, esp. successfully or in a calm or adequate manner:After his breakdown he couldn't cope any longer.
- [Archaic.]to come into contact;
meet (usually fol. by with).
v.t.
- British Termsto cope with.
- [Obs.]to come into contact with;
encounter.
- Anglo-French, Old French couper to strike, derivative of coup coup1
- Middle English coupen 1300–50
cope′less•ness, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged wrestle, strive, persevere.
cope2 (kōp),USA pronunciation n., v., coped, cop•ing.
n.
- Clothing, Religiona long mantle, esp. of silk, worn by ecclesiastics over the alb or surplice in processions and on other occasions.
- Clothingany cloaklike or canopylike covering.
- the sky.
- a coping.
- Metallurgythe upper half of a flask. Cf. drag (def. 32).
v.t.
- to furnish with or as if with a cope or coping.
- Medieval Latin cāpa, variant of cappa cap1
- Middle English 1175–1225
cope3 (kōp),USA pronunciation v.t., coped, cop•ing.
- Building
- to join (two molded wooden members) by undercutting the end of one of them to the profile of the other so that the joint produced resembles a miter joint (usually fol. by in or together).
- to form (a joint between such members) in this way.
- to undercut the end of (a molded wooden member) in order to form a coped joint.
- to cut away (a flange of a metal member) so that it may be joined to another member at an angle.
- Sport[Falconry.]to clip or dull (the beak or talons of a hawk).
- French couper to cut; see cope1
- 1565–75
cope4 (kōp),USA pronunciation v.t., coped, cop•ing. [Brit.]
- British Termsto barter;
trade;
exchange.
- Low German; compare Middle Dutch côpen to buy
- late Middle English copen 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
a large ceremonial cloak worn at solemn liturgical functions by priests of certain Christian sects any covering shaped like a cope
- (transitive)
to dress (someone) in a cope
to provide (a wall) with a coping
- another name for coping
'cope with' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
best
- bucket brigade
- cope
- death
- decathect
- despair
- débrouillard
- future shock
- grip
- hack
- heavy
- match
- meet
- nettlesome
- neurasthenia
- one-track
- punch
- quick fix
- robustness
- stride
- up