given

adjective

giv·en | \ ˈgi-vən

Definition of given

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : prone, disposed given to swearing

2 : presented as a gift : bestowed without compensation

3a : particular, specified at a given time

b : assumed as actual or hypothetical : granted given that all are equal before the law

4 of an official document : having been executed : dated

5 : immediately present in experience

given

noun

Definition of given (Entry 2 of 3)

: something given especially : something taken for granted : a basic condition or assumption It is a given that we are in an age of relentless competition.

given

preposition

Definition of given (Entry 3 of 3)

: in view of : considering given what she knew about others' lives, how could she complain about her own?— Marilyn French

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about given

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Examples of given in a Sentence

Adjective

a quiet man not given to loud expressions of emotion candidates for the quiz show must complete the qualifying test within a given amount of time

Noun

In our system it is a given that all are equal before the law. it's a given that television viewers are influenced by advertising, even consciously or subconsciously

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

How did the American left—conceived to bring more compassion and justice to the world—become so given to hate? — Shelby Steele, WSJ, "Why the Left Is Consumed With Hate," 23 Sep. 2018 In the smallest possible quantum system, in any given orientation, the spin can take on one of two possible values (plus or minus a half). — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Qubits can sync if they have more than two possible values," 7 Aug. 2018 In any given arcade, about 75% of total points came from dunks, layups and 3-pointers, the most valuable shots in basketball. — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, "The NBA and NFL Have Become Videogames," 6 Nov. 2018 At any given moment, actual progressives on Twitter are reacting with shrill hysteria to a false right-wing meme designed to provoke them into just such a reaction. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Sacha Baron Cohen’s political provocations are exhausting and dangerous," 13 July 2018 That was particularly important for evading state-level censorship, which might try to block all the traffic sent to a given service. — Russell Brandom, The Verge, "Google just created a big problem for anti-censorship tools," 18 Apr. 2018 At any given auction, as many as several hundred dogs and puppies might be sold, with bidding starting in the morning and running until dinnertime, even past sundown. — The Washington Post, AL.com, "Dog rescuers from Alabama and elsewhere buy animals from breeders they scorn," 13 Apr. 2018 At any given moment, about 80,000 to 100,000 people are held in solitary confinement in the US; in many states, the average stint in solitary lasts years. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "America under Brett Kavanaugh," 11 July 2018 One can imagine industry advocates raising good-faith objections to the conclusions of any given study. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The EPA Is Hiding Proof That a Widely Used Chemical Causes Leukemia: Report," 6 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And though both are givens in fashion drops around their respective season, corduroy still hasn't totally shed its nostalgic veneer. — Ana Colón, Glamour, "The Best Corduroy Pieces to Shop for Fall 2018," 22 Sep. 2018 Getty There are a few givens in the life of a professional tennis player: constant training, a calorie-pinching diet, and global travel for 11 months out of the year. — Jeryl Lippe, Condé Nast Traveler, "Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal Told Us Their Dream Vacations," 27 Aug. 2018 Of that group, Friedrich and Cosart are far from givens to return – at least on major league deals. — Jeff Sanders, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Friar talk: Early look at Padres' 2018 payroll," 11 Oct. 2017 To Jones, there are two givens, his enduring love for South Florida, with an upcoming return to his Southwest Ranches home in summer, and an abiding respect for the Heat's culture. — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Winderman: Faith in Heat future extends beyond organization itself | Commentary," 14 July 2018 Tennessee's defense will be one of the great givens of the 2018-19 season. — Patrick Stevens, chicagotribune.com, "Way-too-early projection of the 2019 NCAA tournament field: Loyola the only team from Illinois again," 3 Apr. 2018 Although people are born with some biological givens, the brain has many blank pages. — Rob Verger, Newsweek, "Newsweek Rewind: 15 Years After Columbine, a Nation Still Asks ‘Why?’," 17 Apr. 2014 As the second half of the bill will explain, the emotional givens are only part of the equation. — Jesse Green, New York Times, "Review: In a Double Bill of Physical Comedy, Laughter Is the Best Reflex," 1 Nov. 2017 The school has a very active group of parents and emphasizes science and technology — things that are not givens in many city schools. — Kristen A. Graham, Philly.com, "9 local schools win coveted National Blue Ribbon honor," 28 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'given.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.