cope against

USAGE SUMMARY

"cope against" is correct and can be used in written English.
This phrase is usually used to indicate either overcoming a difficult situation or dealing with an opposing force. For example, "We must cope against the rising costs of living."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

But he said that England had enough strength in depth to cope against Ukraine.

The Guardian - Sport

With fixtures against Tottenham and Manchester City next, we are about to discover how Chelsea cope against heavy pressing.

The Guardian - Sport

More applause from a French crowd who are getting behind Murray's valiant attempts to cope against the imperious Nadal.

The Guardian - Sport

"Verizon very much wanted to have a solution to cope against Apple and we were very keen to have success," said Mr. Jha.

The New York Times - Tech

If the amount of transmitted parity bits increases above the Slepian–Wolf limit, the added redundancy is exploited to cope against the noise in the transmission channel.

Signal Processing

The 36-year-old, who has 142 caps, could not cope against the Dutch and his international career may end with him being dropped today.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Time to see how Rio Ferdinand copes against Manu Tuilagi.

Independent

Arsenal's manager expressed concern that Sánchez would be pressed into action and suffer a serious setback and will watch anxiously how his key forward copes against Uruguay.

The Guardian - Sport

She was outstanding against Australia in the quarter-final, ensuring that the Matildas got little respite, and how she copes against Carli Lloyd's bursts from midfield could be one of the key elements in Sunday's game.

The Guardian - Sport

What was undeniable was that the programme helped move the argument far from the stereotypes of pineapple-nosed meths men, and into the milieu of chintzy (or cosy, or minimalist) middle-class living rooms everywhere, and highlight a hidden nation coping against hope with both the bottle and full-time jobs – solicitors, managers, anaesthetists.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But assistant manager Colin Fallaize was impressed with the way his side's opponents, who had been delayed at Gatwick Airport for much of the day, coped against his side.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cope against" when you want to emphasize the act of managing or enduring a difficult situation or opposing force. It suggests a proactive effort to deal with challenges.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "cope against" can sometimes sound less sophisticated in very formal contexts. Consider alternatives like "manage" or "counteract" to achieve a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cope against" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of managing or enduring a challenging situation. As shown in Ludwig, this phrase conveys the sense of resisting or dealing with an opposing force.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Sport

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cope against" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe managing or enduring difficult situations. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, while highlighting its specific connotation of resisting or dealing with an opposing force. While commonly found in news, science, and sports contexts, it's important to consider more formal alternatives in certain professional settings. Remember to emphasize the proactive effort involved in managing or enduring challenges when using this phrase. For variety and precision, explore related phrases like "contend against" or "manage against".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contend against

Emphasizes striving or struggling against something.

manage against

Focuses on successfully handling or controlling something.

deal with

A more general term for handling a situation.

withstand

Highlights resisting or enduring something.

combat

Suggests actively fighting against something.

resist

Focuses on opposing or preventing something.

overcome

Implies successfully defeating something.

counteract

Emphasizes neutralizing the effects of something.

adapt to

Highlights the process of adjusting to a challenging situation.

handle

A broad term for managing or dealing with something.

FAQs

How can I use "cope against" in a sentence?

You can use "cope against" to describe how someone or something manages a challenge or opposing force. For example, "The team needs to find new strategies to cope against the competition."

What are some alternatives to "cope against"?

Some alternatives to "cope against" include "contend against", "manage against", or "deal with" depending on the specific meaning you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to use "cope with" or "cope against"?

"Cope with" is generally more common and widely accepted. "Cope against" is specifically used when emphasizing resistance to an opposing force, giving it a more confrontational nuance.

Is "cope against" considered formal or informal language?

"Cope against" falls into a neutral register. While it's grammatically sound and understandable, in highly formal writing, consider alternatives to maintain a more polished tone.