cop out
[verb]
Synonyms: die, cash in, check out, conk, croak, drop, go, kick in, kick off, peg out, back down, back off, back out, backpedal, backwater, crawfish (out), cry off, declare off, renege, welsh

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

cop out phrasal verb informal (see also cop)
to not do something that someone thinks you should do:
As far as I’m concerned, she’s copped out and joined the rat race.
⇒ cop-out

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

ˈcop-out noun [countable] informal
something you do or say in order to avoid doing or accepting something:
Ignoring the problem is a cop-out.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

cop out
to avoid doing something that you were planning to do
My friend copped out from our plan to go to to the beach for the day.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

cop out
v. phr., slang, informal To avoid committing oneself in a situation where doing so would result in difficulties.
Nixon copped out on the American people with Watergate.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

cop out
n. phr., slang, informal An irresponsible excuse made to avoid something one has to do, a flimsy pretext.
Cowe on, Jim, that's a cheap cop-out, and I don't believe a word of it!

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲