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

see also:

give up the ghost

Synonyms of give up

• relinquish
• surrender
• deliver
• render
• turn in

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

After all, horror isn’t exactly a Broadway staple and producers have mostly given up that particular ghost. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

The Cubs bullpen gave up five runs over the final two innings, losing the game. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

In 2025, Washington state had about 10,200 people giving up an Evergreen State license for an Idaho one. — Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026

So when an older Opry performer gave up his spot one Saturday night in 1959, Parton got her chance to sing at the historic venue. — Shima Oliaee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for give up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

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