easy
She had a small cough.
What does Cough mean?
Cough means to make a sudden throat sound by pushing air out.
Dictionary definition
to push air out of the throat or lungs with a sudden sound; as a noun, that sound or action.
Example sentences
Cough in a sentence
medium
Please cover your mouth when you cough.
hard
The nurse asked how long the cough had lasted.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice cough in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Cough
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does cough mean?
Cough means to push air out of the throat or lungs with a sudden sound.
Practice 2
Which word is related to cough?
A cough is a sound made from the throat or lungs.
Practice 3
Which sentence uses cough correctly?
People are often told to cover their mouth when they cough.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Cough
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WordCough.
Partverb, noun.
MeaningCough means to make a sudden throat sound by pushing air out.
ExampleExample: She had a small cough.
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Nice work—you practiced cough.
Synonyms
Words like Cough
hackAn informal word for coughing harshly.
throat soundA simple phrase for the sound of a cough.
Antonyms
Opposite words
breathe quietlyA contrast to making a cough sound.
silenceNo sound, unlike a cough.
Synonym practice
Want to practice cough synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "A cough echoed in the quiet hallway," then compare close word choices. Practice cough synonyms.
Word family
Cough word family
Base word
cough
verb
cough
Base form.
verb
coughs
Coughs now or often.
verb
coughed
Coughed in the past.
verb
coughing
Coughing now.
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Cough
Hint for students
Cough means to make a sudden throat sound by pushing air out.
Common mix-up
Cough is not the same as breathe quietly. Cough means cough means to make a sudden throat sound by pushing air out.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: Please cover your mouth when you cough. Clue words: cover, your, mouth. Underline clue words that show why cough fits instead of breathe quietly. Now write one new sentence that shows cough without using the word cough. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show cough?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "Please cover your mouth when you cough." Why does cough fit better than breathe quietly?
Learning activities
Practice Cough and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice COUGH” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
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