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

Tessa Francis struck out 12 and gave up two hits as Marblehead (6-1) took down Medford, 7-0. —Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026

Jowell Colon struck out three while giving up six hits and a walk for Jacobs (10-2, 4-1). —Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026

On the flip side, former Giants pitcher Zach Littell (0-2) gave up at least one hit to every player in San Francisco’s lineup through four innings and trailed by seven runs by the time he was lifted. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2026

But Guardians' reliever Scott Armstrong couldn't get an out, giving up two walks and hitting a batter before being pulled. —ABC News, 17 Apr. 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