Word
coped
US/ˈkoʊpt/
UK/kˈəʊpd/
Definition
v. to deal with a difficult problem, pressure, or sad feeling without falling apart. You use it when life is hard but you keep going.
v. to manage or endure a difficult situation, pressure, or emotion without breaking down. Typically followed by 'with' before the source of difficulty.
Examples
“She copes well with stress at work.”
“After his father died, he coped by running every morning and talking to close friends.”
“The small team coped with the sudden loss of funding by sharing duties and cutting costs without lowering quality.”
Examples
simple
“She copes well with stress at work.”
contextual
“After his father died, he coped by running every morning and talking to close friends.”
complex
“The small team coped with the sudden loss of funding by sharing duties and cutting costs without lowering quality.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “coped” in context.
Verb
01. struggle to cope
“Many students struggle to cope with exam stress in their final year.”
verb + to + verb
02. cope with crisis
“The community coped with crisis by organising food banks and shelters.”
verb + prep + noun
03. cope with grief
“They coped with grief by sharing memories and supporting each other.”
verb + prep + noun
04. cope with loss
“He coped with loss by writing letters he never sent.”
verb + prep + noun
05. cope with pressure
“She coped with pressure from her parents to choose a safe career.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
06. cope adequately
“With extra training, the new nurses coped adequately with night shifts.”
verb + adv
07. cope alone
“He tried to cope alone after his father's death instead of asking for help.”
verb + adv
08. cope well
“After the divorce, she coped well and focused on rebuilding her routine.”
verb + adv
Noun
09. ability to cope
“Losing his job affected his ability to cope with everyday problems.”
noun + to + verb
10. capacity to cope
“Lack of sleep reduces our capacity to cope with minor setbacks.”
noun + to + verb
11. barely cope with grief
“In the first weeks after the funeral, she could barely cope with grief.”
12. cope well with stress
“Even during the merger, she coped well with stress and met all deadlines.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and almost always takes 'with' before the difficulty.
Pitfall
cope the stress
cope with the stress
Cope is intransitive — it needs 'with' before the object.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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