given up (to)

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for given up (to)
  1. devoted
  2. reserved
  3. dedicated
  4. set by
Verb
  • Machado quit her job and devoted herself to improving conditions at the shelter, by starting a foundation that would bring in aid from both the private sector and the state.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • San Diego has devoted tremendous effort and resources to addressing homelessness, and many dedicated people work every day to help those in need.
    — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
Definition of devoted
Verb
  • All rights reserved Memory is not the only record of what people eat.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • There are also various livery options, plus a vivid new Tangelo Orange color scheme reserved solely for the 420 Sport.
    — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 22 July 2026
Definition of reserved
Verb
  • These stores have dedicated party and event spaces with a balloon bar, custom framing station and new fabric and sewing corners.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
  • Cummings says religious sisters have dedicated their lives to serving vulnerable people as everything from battlefield nurses to inner-city educators.
    — Adora Namigadde, NPR, 23 July 2026
Definition of dedicated
Verb
  • Weights are inert without chips, and chip access is set by export policy and allocation queues.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Parents, grandparents and others can contribute substantial amounts to the 529 plan, with limits set by each state.
    — Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of set by
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.

Browse Nearby Words

given up the ghost
given up (to)
given way
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Given up (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/given%20up%20%28to%29. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of parochial

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All