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

Launched in 2012 more as a hobby and a personal way to honor her late mother — after whose nickname the company is labeled — Maison Jejia officially took shape as a brand around 2016, when Marino decided to devote herself to the project, giving up her role as a consultant at Max Mara. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025

The 25-year-old Sewell has given up just one sack and six quarterback hits through 15 games this season. —Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

But, Husser said, people have not given up on public schools. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 23 Dec. 2025

Employers with 16 to 50 employees must give up to 10 days of unpaid leave for those with babies in the NICU, while employers with 50 or more employees must offer up to 20 days of unpaid leave. —Sarah Scott, Parents, 23 Dec. 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