noun
Uncommon
coping
Coping (noun) means the way someone deals with stress, hardship, or a difficult situation. Example: “Exercise became her main coping strategy during exams.”
noun
1
The way someone deals with stress, hardship, or a difficult situation.
"Exercise became her main coping strategy during exams."
"Coping with grief takes time and support."
"His coping improved once he started talking to a counsellor every week."
2
The sloped top course of a wall, built to shed rainwater.
"Rain ran off the stone coping along the garden wall."
"The mason replaced the cracked coping on top of the brick wall."
"Moss grew along the coping of the old churchyard wall."
How to use coping
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often means handling a hard situation; in building terms it means the capping layer on top of a wall.
Common pairings
coping mechanism
coping strategy
wall coping
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Word forms
- Plural
- copings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Exercise became her main _____ strategy during exams.
Etymology
From the verb cope ("to cover, to manage") plus -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for coping
See all rhymes for coping →Frequently asked questions
What does “coping” mean?
The word “coping” means the way someone deals with stress, hardship, or a difficult situation. In plain terms, most often means handling a hard situation; in building terms it means the capping layer on top of a wall.
How do you use “coping” in a sentence?
Here is “coping” used in a sentence: “Exercise became her main coping strategy during exams.”
What part of speech is “coping”?
“Coping” is a noun.
Is “coping” a common word?
“Coping” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “coping” have?
“Coping” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the way someone deals with stress, hardship, or a difficult situation.
What is the difference between coping and healing?
Coping refers to the way someone deals with stress, hardship, or a difficult situation while it is happening or ongoing, while healing refers to recovering from harm or distress over time, often after the difficulty has passed. A person can be coping with an illness while still in the process of healing.
What are common coping mechanisms people use?
Coping mechanisms are the specific strategies people use to deal with stress or hardship, such as talking to others, exercise, journaling, or relaxation techniques. The word coping refers broadly to this general process of managing difficulty, of which such mechanisms are the specific tools.
What does coping mean in construction or architecture?
In construction, coping refers to the sloped top course of a wall, typically made of stone, brick, or concrete, built to shed rainwater and protect the wall below from moisture damage. This is a distinct, unrelated sense from coping with stress.
