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

By winter 1935, Reuss was on the verge of giving up on life completely. —Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024

Membership narrowly gave up the pension in 2014 after the company threatened to build the 737 Max and 777X at non-union facilities. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024

Dislike: Bucks’ Defensive Rebounding Milwaukee gave up 17 offensive rebounds to the Sixers—a concerning number that put a damper on what was otherwise a strong defensive effort. —Brian Sampson, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Don Newcombe gave up two two-run homers to Yogi Berra and a solo shot to Elston Howard. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

12th 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