give up
verb
gave up; given up; giving up; gives up
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
: 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
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
Local dealerships have not given up.
—
Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Multiple people familiar with the process said any buyout would involve Darvish giving up the bulk of what he would be owed and that the Padres are set to realize significant savings over the next three years.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Zelenskyy refuses to give up land that Russia has not been able to capture in four years of grinding, attritional warfare.
—Reuters, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
Bowe, who still holds the world record in the 1,000 m and also qualified in the 1,500 m for Beijing, decided to give up her 500-m spot, assuring Jackson would race at the Olympics.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for give up
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Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Multiple people familiar with the process said any buyout would involve Darvish giving up the bulk of what he would be owed and that the Padres are set to realize significant savings over the next three years.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Zelenskyy refuses to give up land that Russia has not been able to capture in four years of grinding, attritional warfare.
—Reuters, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
Bowe, who still holds the world record in the 1,000 m and also qualified in the 1,500 m for Beijing, decided to give up her 500-m spot, assuring Jackson would race at the Olympics.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for give up
Cite this Entry
“Give up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%20up. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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