as in relinquishing
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
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Recent Examples of coughing up
Symptoms of a blood clot include swelling, shortness of breath, coughing up blood and varicose vein changes, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
—
Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Tehran had already moved to start charging ships transiting the strait in recent weeks, with at least one vessel coughing up $2 million to do so, according to shipping intelligence firm Lloyd’s List.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
The streamer is coughing up some $150 million over the next three years for the rights to carry a total of nine sessions of baseball, a bare bones roster that includes the annual opener, the Field of Dream games formerly hosted by Fox and the Home Run Derby.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 1 Apr. 2026
To avoid the lines, customers (including first-time private fliers) are now coughing up large sums to avoid TSA altogether, sometimes to the tune of $34,000, Bloomberg reported.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026
Minnesota didn’t cower when backed into a corner Wednesday after coughing up an 11 point lead with fewer than four minutes to play in the final frame.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Then, Nolan’s parents put his fighting skills to the test with a brutal beatdown, but things quickly take a turn as Viltrumites around the planet start coughing up blood.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
That game featured the Stars coughing up a late lead thanks to a Valeri Nichuskin goal with 14 seconds left in regulation.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
On the flipside, Wisconsin escaped the first half without coughing up the ball once and finished the game with three turnovers, which the Terps converted to only three points.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026
Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Tehran had already moved to start charging ships transiting the strait in recent weeks, with at least one vessel coughing up $2 million to do so, according to shipping intelligence firm Lloyd’s List.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
The streamer is coughing up some $150 million over the next three years for the rights to carry a total of nine sessions of baseball, a bare bones roster that includes the annual opener, the Field of Dream games formerly hosted by Fox and the Home Run Derby.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 1 Apr. 2026
To avoid the lines, customers (including first-time private fliers) are now coughing up large sums to avoid TSA altogether, sometimes to the tune of $34,000, Bloomberg reported.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026
Minnesota didn’t cower when backed into a corner Wednesday after coughing up an 11 point lead with fewer than four minutes to play in the final frame.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Then, Nolan’s parents put his fighting skills to the test with a brutal beatdown, but things quickly take a turn as Viltrumites around the planet start coughing up blood.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
That game featured the Stars coughing up a late lead thanks to a Valeri Nichuskin goal with 14 seconds left in regulation.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
On the flipside, Wisconsin escaped the first half without coughing up the ball once and finished the game with three turnovers, which the Terps converted to only three points.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coughing up
Verb
-
While that new detail is likely to please debt holders, who had proposed that current shareholders inject 8 billion reais, the company rejected other changes sought by creditors, including relinquishing control of the board.—
Rachel Gamarski,
Bloomberg,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Tarrant County commissioners unanimously decided on Tuesday to put about a quarter mile of road up for sale in hopes of relinquishing control over the stretch.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Officers arrived to find three vehicles involved — each with a single driver — and began rendering aid alongside firefighters and paramedics, per the release.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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In a position such as lieutenant governor, where much of the office’s duties involve being only one of multi-member boards, radical positions tend to be largely drowned out by the majority, rendering the office even less effective.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sheehan responded by turning in his best performance of the season, but the bullpen faltered in the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss to the red-hot Cubs, who won their 10th in a row.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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In May 2025, CACC posted pictures to its social media pages showing lines of people turning in stray animals or surrendering their pets to city shelters.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Where is that line between being satisfied and comfortable and content and giving up?—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
-
The costs of giving up charm pricing seem too great.—
Alison J. Stein,
thehustle.co,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The mall, one of Chicago’s largest, fell on hard times after getting hit by the rise of online retail and then the pandemic, losing its top retailer, Macy’s, in 2021, followed by the owner surrendering control of the property in 2022.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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The defensive effort got Cameron out of the fifth inning without surrendering a run.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What was His message in turning over the tables, besides showing His rudeness?—
John Kenney,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Ted Soqui / Pool via Getty Images Prosecutors noted that protocol prevents them from turning over the sensitive images, but that defense attorneys can view the data at a clean computer in the justice center.—
Madeline Morrison,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, the possibility of handing over a large sum of money to an insurer and then dying soon afterward with little to show for it is often a large behavioral hurdle for people, said Zach Teutsch, founder of Values Added Financial in Washington.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
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Closure is something Shaw spent much of her life searching for after the trauma of handing over her newborn as a 16-year-old in 1991.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to Korean hair expert Hyerin Jeon, this shampoo features 10,000 ppm of 10 different proteins, including collagen and keratin, delivering salon-grade conditioning at home.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Despite its frequency, the condition has no cure aside from delivering the baby, which can, in turn, lead to premature birth and other complications.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coughing up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coughing%20up. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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