give up

Definition of give upnext
1
as in to relinquish
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 to surrender
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 give up Strange gets a Buffalo defense that gave up the fewest points to TEs this year. Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026 To play the 18th-century religious leader Ann Lee, for instance, Amanda Seyfried gave up Botox, her anti-aging intervention of choice, for an entire year, in addition to eschewing makeup on set. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026 In his final episode, McCoy gives up his career to ensure a tech baron with deep political ties faces justice. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026 But Simmons never gave up on her dream. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for give up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for give up
Verb
  • As Buffett relinquishes the helm, investors are increasingly focused on what disappears with him.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
  • More typically, the figures in Marshall’s art are haunted by a past that refuses to relinquish its tenacious hold.
    James Meyer, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Miami Hurricanes are at home, while the entire state of Indiana – save for some in West Lafayette – is content to abandon their homes to enjoy this unexpectedly stupefying playoff march.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Season One concludes with the Texas Tech geology graduate abandoning a well crew after tragedy strikes, only to achieve rapid success in his personal and work endeavors.
    Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Trim away any roots that have succumbed to root rot.
    Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Vasquez-Trinidad succumbed to her injuries two days after the crash, the outlets reported, citing the New York Police Department.
    Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Leaning on do-everything running back Bijan Robinson would make a lot of sense, except the Colts hold teams to just 87 rushing yards per game (fourth fewest) and have surrendered only six rushing touchdowns in nine games.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Economic strain is one of the leading reasons animals are surrendered to shelters, spokesperson Kirsten Peek said.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Another Republican, Sen John Cornyn of Texas, had to fly back from Texas to deliver the crucial 60th vote.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
  • While Kyle Shanahan’s team continues to battle the injury bug, the coach and his staff keep finding ways to win games as backups have assumed vital roles and have delivered.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Placer County, which estimates that 16,000 residents could lose health care coverage by 2028, quit operating its own clinics nearly a decade ago.
    KFF Health News, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
  • After quitting acting, Kibrick attended the University of Southern California and worked in real estate development.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • And the defense refused to yield.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • In software development, for instance, the use of coding agents with 18,000 developers has already yielded a 20% spike in productivity.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • This transformation renders the target — the frozen limit — a finite object that a finite computer can handle.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Its three glittering diamonds had a powerful effect on Sophie Rhys-Jones—rendering her speechless.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Give up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give%20up. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

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