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

• relinquish
• surrender
• render
• deliver
• 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

In the days of viral Instagram and TikTok challenges, Sober October has blossomed into a global trend of people giving up alcohol, whether in support of the campaign’s original cause or to merely detox near the end of the year. —Essence, 21 Oct. 2025

The difference is that the majority of the shuttered newspapers last year was not the result of consolidations by big chains, but longtime independent owners who have given up — at places like the Wasatch Wave in Utah or the Aurelia Star in Iowa, the report said. —David Bauder, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025

After all, Andrew giving up his royal titles and honors is something that had been discussed, but no one really expected Andrew to be the one to make the decision. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2025

If Prince Andrew gives up his lease, The Crown Estate would need to pay him over $756,000 (£557,595), The Times reports. —Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025

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