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

Maryland had yet to give up a turnover, but UCLA’s defense created five takeaways. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

But giving up a draft pick absolutely points toward the Giants planning to play McCarthy at some point in the near future. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Marlins starter Janson Junk gave up one run and three hits over 4 2/3 innings. — CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

East Hartford gave up 80 points last year in an 80-74 loss to Conard and the point total (154 combined) was the highest total score in Connecticut state high school football history. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 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