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• cope
  cope

  verb (used without object)

  to struggle or deal, especially on fairly even terms or with some degree of success (usually followed bywith ).
• COPE
  COPE

  acronym

  Congress of the People: a political party founded in 2008 by dissident members of the ANC

cope

¹ American  

[kohp] / koʊp /

verb (used without object)

coped, coping

1. to struggle or deal, especially on fairly even terms or with some degree of success (usually followed bywith ).

   The new heating and cooling system can cope with extremes of temperature much better than the old one.

   Synonyms:

   persevere, strive, wrestle

2. to face and deal with responsibilities, problems, or difficulties, especially successfully or in a calm or adequate manner.

   After his breakdown he couldn't cope any longer.

3. Archaic. to come into contact; meet (usually followed bywith ).

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verb (used with object)

coped, coping

1. British Informal. to cope with.

2. Obsolete. to come into contact with; encounter.

cope ² American  

[kohp] / koʊp /

noun

• copes
  plural

1. a long mantle, especially of silk, worn by ecclesiastics over the alb or surplice in processions and on other occasions.

2. any cloaklike or canopylike covering.

3. the sky.

4. a coping on a wall.

5. Metallurgy. the upper half of a flask.

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verb (used with object)

coped, coping

1. to furnish with or as if with a cope or coping.

cope ³ American  

[kohp] / koʊp /

verb (used with object)

coped, coping

1. Building Trades.

   1. 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 followed by in ortogether ).

   2. to form (a joint between such members) in this way.

   3. to undercut the end of (a molded wooden member) in order to form a coped joint.

   4. to cut away (a flange of a metal member) so that it may be joined to another member at an angle.

2. Falconry. to clip or dull (the beak or talons of a hawk).

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cope ⁴ American  

[kohp] / koʊp /

verb (used with object)

British.

coped, coping

1. to barter; trade; exchange.

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cope ¹ British  

/ kəʊp /

verb

1. to contend (against)

2. (intr) to deal successfully with or handle a situation; manage

   she coped well with the problem

3. archaic (tr)

   1. to deal with

   2. to meet in battle

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cope ² British  

/ kəʊp /

noun

1. a large ceremonial cloak worn at solemn liturgical functions by priests of certain Christian sects

2. any covering shaped like a cope

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verb

1. (tr) to dress (someone) in a cope

cope ³ British  

/ kəʊp /

verb

1. to provide (a wall) with a coping

2. to join (two moulded timber members)

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noun

1. another name for coping

COPE ⁴ British  

/ kəʊp /

acronym

1. Congress of the People: a political party founded in 2008 by dissident members of the ANC

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• copelessness
  noun
• copeless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• copes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cope¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English coupen, from Anglo-French, Old French couper “to strike,” derivative of coup “a blow”; see origin at coup ¹

Origin of cope²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Medieval Latin cāpa, variant of cappa “hooded cloak”; see cap ¹

Origin of cope³

First recorded in 1565–75; from French couper “to cut”; see cope ¹

Origin of cope⁴

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English copen, from Low German; compare Middle Dutch côpen “to buy”

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Explanation

If you are able to cope with something, you are able to deal with it. If you can cope with waiting in long lines, you'll get the best seats. If you can cope with the stress, you will be excellent at defusing bombs. From the Old French couper, cope means “come to blows with." Coping can imply struggle, but it’s usually met with success or at the very least, not failure. Another word to describe the balancing act of a mother who takes care of three children while also working part-time and pursuing a graduate degree is coping. “Understanding does not cure evil, but it is a definite help, inasmuch as one can cope with a comprehensible darkness,” warns Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cope COPE copes coped coping

"These numbers represent children whose parents cannot afford nutritious food and families whose ability to cope has been worn down by years of conflict, economic hardship, drought and other shocks."

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

If your little one has been left off the list, here are some ways to help them cope.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Victimized museums are often compelled to cope by closing indefinitely or reopening with fewer treasures on view.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

What comes after “wine moms”: When Susannah Bradley was raising her young children, wine was many mom’s vice of choice to help them cope with the stresses of parenting.

From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026

Schools across the country dispatched social workers to “help young people cope with what they’re hearing,” but in the hallways of Shaker Heights High School, the mood was hilarity rather than trauma.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Andrea Pelaez Marzo, a sports journalist for Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, is following the team around New Zealand.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2023

“He was a collaborator of mine and helped me a lot,” Francis told COPE.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 3, 2021

The interview was with the Spanish radio network COPE, and was recorded last week at the pope’s residence in Vatican City.

From New York Times ● Sep. 1, 2021

"Whenever a pope is ill there is always a breeze or a hurricane about a conclave," he told COPE.

From Reuters ● Sep. 1, 2021

COPE, E. D. A critical review of the characters and variations of the snakes of N. America.

From United States Government Publications, v. 8 Jan-Jun 1892 A Monthly Catalog by Compiled

He too copes with blackouts, water shortages, a lack of farming supplies and ever-rising prices.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

The 42-year-old says he copes with his trauma by sharing his story with other victims and the public.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Since his mom was diagnosed with cancer at 83, Regis has pivoted to acting as what he calls a “capital C caregiver,” as she copes with treatment.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

He said he wanted to expand the Doctor Who universe by removing the Doctor to explore how humanity copes, resulting in a "properly entertaining thriller" of monsters, romance, chases and gunfights.

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2025

Some cushions from Catworth Church, Huntingdon, now at the South Kensington Museum, were probably cut from copes, and bought by permission of the Bishop of Ely for £27.

From Chats on Old Lace and Needlework by Emily Leigh Lowes

Marcin asked Ivan how he coped with the work.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Rystad Energy said the oil market has coped better than initially expected because of inventories, alternative export routes and shifts in Chinese buying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

U.S. airlines and their global peers coped by tweaking capacity, generally cutting down on less popular and profitable flights, and charging more for checked bags and other fees.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

"I didn't grow up with AC," said the Frenchman from the Mediterranean city of Nice, who said his family coped using fans.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

In the early years of my boyhood, my parents coped very well in America.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

"The task ahead is to move from coping to rebuilding, restoring fiscal space, and rebuilding supply-side resilience."

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Parry said: "Farmers are coping with climate change, change in government support and requirements, high input costs, the changes to inheritance tax relief on farms along with many other things."

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

The star noted that she had been trying her best to not break down in public, instead coping with her emotions behind closed doors.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

Scholars like Dieter Declercq, author of “Satire, Comedy and Mental Health,” have connected stand-up to cognitive coping mechanisms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Pappachi, for his part, was having trouble coping with the ignominy of retirement.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

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Related Words

• confront
• endure
• get by
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• handle
• suffer
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• wrestle

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