gave up; given up; giving up; gives up
Definition of give up
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
4a
: 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
: to cease doing or attempting something especially as an admission of defeat : quit
—often used with on don't give up on the project
give up the ghost
: to cease to live or function : die
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Name that Thing: Flower Edition
-
- Name that flower

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Spell words. Make bears.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share give up
Time Traveler for give up
The first known use of give up was in the 13th century
See more words from the same century