give up

verb

gave up; given up; giving up; gives up

transitive verb

1

: to yield control or possession of : surrender

forced to give up his job

2

: to desist from : abandon

refused to give up her efforts

3

: to declare incurable or insoluble

4

a

: to abandon (oneself) to a particular feeling, influence, or activity

gave himself up to despair

b

: to devote to a particular purpose or use

5

: to despair of seeing

we'd given you up

6

: to allow (a hit or run in baseball) while pitching

intransitive verb

: to cease doing or attempting something especially as an admission of defeat : quit

—often used with on

don't give up on the project

Phrases

give up the ghost

: to cease to live or function : die

Synonyms

• cede
• cough up
• deliver
• hand over
• lay down
• relinquish
• render
• surrender
• turn in
• turn over
• yield

Examples of give up in a Sentence

was in so much debt he had to give up his house and move into a cheaper apartment

I hope you won't give up playing the piano.

Recent Examples on the Web

The guests were ordered to strip down to their underwear and give up their cash and jewelry, which police later calculated to total over $1 million (about $8 million today). —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2024

Lydia’s Wedding Dress Beetlejuice hasn’t given up on his dream of marrying Lydia. —Katcy Stephan, Variety, 6 Sep. 2024

The Chargers gave up 63 points in last year’s loss that allowed Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce to secure the permanent position, and safety Derwin James Jr. hasn’t forgotten. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024

Success for me is defined by never giving up and giving your all. —Asif Burhan, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

give up

verb

1

: surrender entry 1 sense 1

2

: to abandon (oneself) to a feeling, influence, or activity

3

: stop entry 1 sense 7a