gave up

past tense of give up
1
as in relinquished
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress was in so much debt he had to give up his house and move into a cheaper apartment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
as in indulged
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly even in the darkest days of her troubled marriage, she refused to give herself up to feelings of utter hopelessness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gave up Paul Sewald gave up a solo homer to Donovan Walton with two outs in the ninth but struck out Oswald Peraza to earn his 18th save in 19 chances. Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026 Later that night, Raisel Iglesias gave up a two-out, two-run walk-off homer run to Braden Montgomery in a 6-5 loss in 10 innings. Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 15 June 2026 Taillon gave up a run on two hits with a walk in the first inning. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 Juan Mejia gave up three runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 1 June 2026 Miami gave up an easy goal by unmarked Milan Iloski in the third minute after a headed pass from Frankie Westfield. Miami Herald, 25 May 2026 Camryn Cloonan cranked a two-run home run, while Edy Latour gave up only three hits over seven innings as Dighton-Rehoboth (15-2) topped Somerset Berkley 5-3 in the South Coast Conference on Sunday. Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gave up
Verb
  • The military relinquished its remaining ownership stake in the 1990s.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
  • Rudin relinquished his Broadway producing duties in 2021 following allegations of bullying but returned last season with a transfer of Little Bear Ridge Road, also starring Metcalf.
    Vulture Editors, Vulture, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Police found a 15-foot U-Haul truck abandoned on private property with two dogs in the cab.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
  • Mary goes to the store, which appears to be abandoned.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • Despite medical efforts, Smith succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 9 Dec. 2025
  • Some of the victims succumbed to burn injuries and others died due to suffocation, News18 reported.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • For more than a quarter-century, fate never indulged us with another KU-MU game in Kansas City (other than the 2017 hurricane relief exhibition) as the series itself went dormant in the wake of Mizzou’s move to the Southeastern Conference.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Dec. 2025
  • Besides his administrative duties, Hedren also indulged his interest in history and became one of the leading experts on the Great Sioux War, writing more books on the subject than any other author.
    Patrick Springer, Twin Cities, 26 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Both defendants surrendered their passports, agreed to travel limitations, be tested for substances and not partake in gambling, among other bond conditions.
    Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
  • Because of Houston's strong defensive performance, the Texans have surrendered more than 18 points just once in their last six game.
    Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Harry was stripped of his Metropolitan Police bodyguards in 2020 after quitting royal duties and has been on a quest to get them back ever since.
    Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025
  • After decades of creating elegant wedding cakes, catering social and corporate gatherings, and turning out delicate eclairs and towering croquembouches, The French Gourmet is calling it quits after selling its Turquoise Street property to a Los Angeles developer.
    Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Haas wasn't sure what disease could have felled a buck so clearly in its prime.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
  • Yet Christine’s fate took a devastating turn when her father died, her husband was felled by the plague a year later.
    Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Dembélé’s teammate, midfielder Rayan Cherki, was also on the HAC tip, though his was smaller and rendered in creamy beige.
    Max Berlinger, Vogue, 11 June 2026
  • The resulting flooding rendered the antenna inoperable.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 June 2026

Cite this Entry

“Gave up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gave%20up. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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