give·away
ˈgiv-ə-ˌwā 
plural giveaways
1
: an unintentional revelation or betrayal
2
a
: something given away free
specifically
: premium sense 1d
b
: the act of giving something away free
staging a promotional giveaway
3
: a radio or television program on which prizes are given away
4
sports
: an error or poor play that allows an opponent to gain control of the ball or puck : a mistake that results in a turnover
As a team the Dolphins have committed a league-low 12 giveaways.—
Jim Trotter
Jim Trotter
gave away; given away; giving away; gives away
1
: to make a present of
2
: to deliver (a bride) ceremonially to the bridegroom at a wedding
4
: to give (something, such as weight) by way of a handicap
Examples of giveaway in a Sentence
Noun
The way she looked at him was a dead giveaway that they were more than just friends.
The store is offering coffee mugs as free giveaways to attract new customers.
The store is staging a promotional giveaway to attract new customers.
Verb
the insincerity of his apology was given away by that slight smirk on his face
gave away all her potted plants when she moved
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily McLeod, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Jokic’s 10 giveaways matched a career-high.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026
The audience’s sense of Camae changes throughout the show, and Shanise is expert at not giving away any of those other sides of her character until they’re revealed naturally.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for giveaway
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Noun
From there, the Faith Pantry volunteers, known as the Pantry Chicks, sort the food into bags for a local food giveaway benefitting families and seniors.
—Emily McLeod, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Jokic’s 10 giveaways matched a career-high.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
This circuit will not give away its secrets easily, but the car is more than capable of unlocking them.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026
The audience’s sense of Camae changes throughout the show, and Shanise is expert at not giving away any of those other sides of her character until they’re revealed naturally.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for giveaway
Cite this Entry
“Giveaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giveaway. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
giveaway
1 of 2 noun
give·away
ˈgiv-ə-ˌwā
1
: an unintentional act of revealing or betraying
his expression was a dead giveaway of his guilt
2
: something that is given away free
3
: an event at which things are given away
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