cope
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To deal effectively with something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kohpIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkoʊp
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult.
transitive
To cover (a joint or structure) with coping.
To cut and form a mitred joint in wood or metal.
intransitive
To form a cope or arch; to arch or bend; to bow.
noun
liturgy
A long cloak; worn by a priest or bishop on ceremonial occasions
Any covering such as a canopy or a mantle.
literary
The vault or canopy of the skies, heavens etc.
slang
A coping mechanism or self-delusion one clings to in order to endure a hopeless situation.
An ancient tribute due to the lord of the soil, out of the lead mines in Derbyshire, England.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult.
Used this way, cope is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.