cope with

/koʊp wɪð/
phrasal verbIntermediate handle or deal with difficultiesphrasal verb
general

To manage or deal with a difficult situation or problem

He learned to cope with his anxiety through therapy.

Therapy helped him manage his anxiety.

The company is struggling to cope with the economic downturn.

The company is having trouble dealing with the economic downturn.

💡

Often used to describe managing emotional or psychological challenges.

Collocations

cope with stressmanage stresscope with lossdeal with griefcope with changeadapt to change

Related Phrases

come to terms withphrase
accept a difficult situation
get throughphrase
survive a difficult period

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

Use 'cope with' when referring to managing ongoing difficulties, especially emotional or psychological ones.

Gold Rule

Avoid Overuse

While useful, avoid overusing 'cope with' in formal writing; consider synonyms like 'manage' or 'handle' for variety.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'copen' (to buy, purchase) and 'with' (together). The modern sense of 'deal with' emerged in the 16th century.

📝Usage Notes

Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe managing challenges, especially emotional or psychological ones.

Word Breakdown

cope
to deal with or manage
root
+
with
together with or in relation to
preposition
English Dictionary