give up

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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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 In the end, Democrats conceded to Reagan’s demands, including agreeing to pass a crime bill that the President had wanted and giving up provisions related to civil rights and water projects. Chantelle Lee, Time, 5 Nov. 2025 But are [voters] going to give up on Republicans? Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 Still, the data hasn’t yet persuaded carmakers enough to give up control of the dash. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025 But not everyone is willing to give up on the target. Sophie Yeo, The Dial, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for give up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for give up
Verb
  • Though Judge and Simon were legally granted equal custody of their three children upon their split, Judge relinquished custody of Sidney to Simon after their daughter opted to live with him full time.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
  • According to the Associated Press, US Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell released Ortiz on a $500,000 bond, mandated that the 26-year-old relinquish his passport, and restricted his travel to the local area, among other stipulations.
    David Close, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • His car was later found abandoned, and authorities began searching the area.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • To garrison those vulnerable treasure houses, Britain had to reassign regiments from tours of duty in North America and abandon Philadelphia, the biggest prize the redcoats had taken so far.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite and can succumb to hypothermia in a matter of minutes.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
  • In the ignominious manner of his death, many great artists have succumbed to drugs.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
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
  • Others have quit or decided to take retirement during the shutdown, increasing the strain on the industry which already had a severe shortage of traffic controllers.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Neither side wanted Davie to quit, but that is where the BBC has ended up.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025
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
  • For centuries, the doctrine of coverture rendered married women the property of their husbands with no legal rights of their own.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • This gray panel matches the collar and Wings logo, and the rest of the upper is rendered in white and off-white.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Give up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give%20up. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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