GAVE UP Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

gave up

verb

past tense of give up

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

as in abandoned

to stop doing (something) permanently I hope you won't give up playing the piano

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as in succumbed

to yield to the control or power of enemy forces with the prospect of a renewed enemy attack, the regiment decided to simply give up

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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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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 Shota Imanaga went five for the Cubs and gave up his only run in the fourth on a single by Augustin Ramirez that scored Stowers. — Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 In the seventh, Rangers reliever Robert Garcia gave up an RBI double to Benge and couldn’t get out of the inning. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026 Hogan Harris gave up a run in the ninth but earned his 16th save by striking out pinch-hitter Oswald Peraza with two runners aboard. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 Those scenes play as if the screenwriters gave up on trying to resolve the twisty plot, instead just making their characters tell all, leaving the film’s denouement much less engrossing than its setup. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026 Vaughn Grissom had an RBI double and Johnson (5-8) gave up one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 After a half hour, Burden said Conahan gave up on strangling him and left him tied to the tree. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 Tigers starter Troy Melton (8-4) gave up 4 runs and 7 hits in 5 2/3 innings, and four relievers held the Twins to one hit the rest of the way. — Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026 Makar gave up future raises by signing for the maximum of eight years, but if Hughes wants three years at $20 million per, the Wild almost surely would do it. — Michael Russo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gave up

Verb

Suwarso relinquished his standard four-ticket allocation for the game.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Fast forward two years, and Variety reported that Unwell had dropped Hot Mess and relinquished all rights to the show, giving Earle the freedom to pursue new opportunities.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of relinquished

Verb

The restaurant idea was abandoned and, instead, an extremely small table was located on the floor below the main lobby.

— Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
But jurors heard testimony from family members convincing them that there was no way Cavett would have abandoned her son, Kamdyn.

— Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of abandoned

Verb

Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Some trees succumbed to insects after being weakened by drought.

— Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of succumbed

Verb

When Maserati brought me back, exhilaration turned to fixation, which Weiss happily indulged by bringing me back for a third time to be coached by Rod Macleod.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
In Salzburg, Dudamel indulged the Vienna Philharmonic’s incomparable lushness, those plush strings, glowing winds, golden brass, voluminous timpani.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of indulged

Verb

Robles surrendered at a local NYPD stationhouse after the body was discovered, cops said.

— Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Worth noting, of course, is the Bills have surrendered 31 points in both of their games, tying them with Carolina for the second-most points allowed through the first two games.

— Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of surrendered

Verb

Shortly after Macklemore’s dismissal, the remaining supporting acts for Sheeran’s tour, including Grammy winner Finneas and folk band Beoga (Sheeran’s backing band), quit the Loop tour in solidarity.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
The other supporting acts on Sheeran’s tour quit in solidarity with Macklemore.

— Brie Stimson , Kelley Kramer, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of quit

Verb

Oppenheim has persuasively rendered a grotesque phenomenon, but his curiosity seems to stop at how everyone and everything looked.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Beijing has instead rendered aid and supported the Iranian regime under the table with black market oil refineries, intelligence sharing, and cooperation on technologies.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026