Cop — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb abbreviation /ˈkäp/

Meaning & Definition of Cop

Cop (noun)

  1. police officer
  2. a cylindrical or conical mass of thread, yarn, or roving wound on a quill or tube; also, a quill or tube upon which it is wound
  3. top, crest

Cop (verb)

  1. to get hold of, catch, capture; also, purchase
  2. steal, swipe
  3. adopt

Cop (abbreviation)

  1. copper
  2. copulative
  3. copy
  4. copyright

Cop (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a member of a force charged with law enforcement at the local level

    "a cop stopped her for speeding"

    similar: bobby (British), bull (slang), constable (chiefly British), copper, flatfoot (slang), fuzz, gendarme, lawman, officer, police officer, policeman, shamus (slang)
    related: patrolman, policewoman, detective, dick, gumshoe, hawkshaw, inspector, investigator, plainclothesman, sherlock, sleuth, sleuthhound, marshal, sheriff, trooper, peace officer, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, constabulary, heat (slang), man, police, police force, operative, private detective, private eye, private investigator
    near: civilian

Cop (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for

    "I copped a great outfit for only $50"

    similar: buy, pick up, purchase, take
    related: acquire, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure, win, finance, pay (for), spring (for), barter (for), deal (for), dicker (over), exchange (for), haggle (for), negotiate (about), trade (for), bargain (with), chaffer (with), horse-trade (with), palter (with), bid, offer, rebuy, repurchase
    near: deal (in), market, merchandise, retail, sell, vend

  2. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "some concertgoers rushed pell-mell through the doors so that they could cop the seats down front"

    similar: bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, get, glom, grab, grapple, hook, land, nab, nail, net, nobble (British slang), rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)
    related: glove, halter, lasso, rope, apprehend, arrest, detain, bay, corner, clasp, clutch, fasten (on), fist, grasp, grip, hold, latch (on or onto), secure, rend, wrest, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, mesh, abduct, kidnap, spirit (away or off)
    opposite: miss
    near: discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

Related Entry: Cop (to) (verb)

Cop (to) is a different word from Cop. The synonyms below are for cop (to), not for cop.

  1. to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid

    "the defendant made a deal with the prosecutor and copped to a lesser charge"

    similar: admit, confess, fess (up), own (up)
    related: blab, talk, tattle, babble, spill
    near: clam up, hush, quiet (down), shut up

Related Entry: Cop-out (noun)

Cop-out is a different word from Cop. The synonyms below are for cop-out, not for cop.

  1. the act or a means of getting or keeping away from something undesirable

    "I think that saying you're sick is just a cop-out to get out of going to work"

    similar: avoidance, dodging, ducking, eluding, elusion, escape, eschewal, eschewing, evasion, out, shaking, shunning
    related: bypassing, circumvention, runaround, sidestepping, skirting, averting, deflection, obviation, precluding, prevention
    near: abidance, endurance, submission, toleration

Related Entry: Cop out (verb)

Cop out is a different word from Cop. The synonyms below are for cop out, not for cop.

  1. to break a promise or agreement

    "don't cop out on your promise to pay for the damage"

    similar: back down, back off, back out, fink out, renege, go back on
    related: chicken (out), wimp out, backpedal, backtrack, abjure, abnegate, disavow, forswear, recall, recant, repudiate, retract, take back, unsay, withdraw, beg off, cry off (chiefly British)
    near: adhere (to), follow through (with), comply (with), fulfill, honor, keep, satisfy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cop

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cop:

Slang: bull, flatfoot, shamus
British: bobby
Chiefly British: constable
British slang: nobble
copper, fuzz, gendarme, lawman, officer, police officer, policeman, buy, pick up, purchase, take, bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, get, glom, grab, grapple, hook, land, nab, nail, net, rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cop

Words with the opposite meaning of Cop:

miss

Related Words for Cop

patrolman, policewoman, detective, dick, gumshoe, hawkshaw, inspector, investigator, plainclothesman, sherlock, sleuth, sleuthhound, marshal, sheriff, trooper, peace officer, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, constabulary, heat, man, police, police force, operative, private detective, private eye, private investigator, acquire, gain

Near Antonyms of Cop

civilian, deal (in), market, merchandise, retail, sell, vend, discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

Word Forms of Cop

Inflections: cops, copped, copping

Origin & Etymology of Cop

short for copper:3

First known use: 1858

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cop

Words & Phrases Containing Cop

cop a plea, cop-out, cop out, cop a feel, cop an attitude, cop hold of

Frequently Asked Questions about Cop

What does "Cop" mean?

"Cop" means police officer. As an a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, it is defined as: police officer. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cop"?

Other words for "Cop" include bobby, bull, constable, copper, flatfoot, fuzz, gendarme and lawman. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cop" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cop"?

There are 119 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cop". Common alternatives include bobby, bull, constable, copper, flatfoot, fuzz, gendarme, lawman, officer and police officer.

What is a slang word for "Cop"?

Slang words for "Cop" include bull, flatfoot, shamus and nobble.

What is the opposite of "Cop"?

Antonyms of "Cop" include miss. Near antonyms include civilian, deal (in), market and merchandise.

How do you use "Cop" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cop" in a sentence: "a cop stopped her for speeding"; "I copped a great outfit for only $50"; "some concertgoers rushed pell-mell through the doors so that they could cop the seats down front".

Is "Cop" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cop" can be used as a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Cop" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Cop" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.