gave up (to)

Definition of gave up (to)next
past tense of give up (to)
as in dedicated
to keep or intend for a special purpose unfortunately, when he was in college, weekends were largely given up to binge drinking

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gave up (to)
Verb
  • Not even scientists who have dedicated their life to studying chemistry can totally pin down its essence.
    Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The federal government, the spokesperson said, has dedicated no funding for the forest service to clean them up.
    Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • It’s been very sobering for people who’ve devoted their lives to these issues to suddenly see this withdrawal of global support.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • In a 25-page memorandum explaining his decision, Reilly said Judge Daniel Klau only devoted a single paragraph to a claim of ordinary negligence.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • When Codi receives an invitation to test the simulator’s latest build, the message turns out to be a trap set by Pinkolaf, a vengeful AI creature born inside DinoGames that has learned to manipulate real-world electronics.
    Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Seven states appear to have failed to reach an agreement on how to split up the water from the shrinking Colorado River ahead of the deadline set by federal officials.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Gave up (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gave%20up%20%28to%29. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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