given up (to)

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)
Verb
  • And there was plenty with which to impress a president who’s devoted much of his term to ballroom renovations and gilding the Oval Office.
    — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Sweet Magnolias is done on a modest budget, which would explain its five-season, 50-episode run with solid but not blockbuster viewership (and devoted fan following).
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Florida Legislature’s decision in 2023 to open up school vouchers, once reserved for low-income families or for those whose children had disabilities, to everyone was unexpected, Gallo said.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • This should be a last resort reserved for dangerous medications, like fentanyl patches, that need to be disposed of quickly to prevent them from accidentally coming into contact with other humans or pets.
    — Sunny Linnebur, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Her book won both a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award, and Monticello dedicated an exhibition to Sally Hemings, declaring the matter settled.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But what the young scholar doesn’t say is that his heart has already dedicated itself, and not to the academy.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Flagg, the first pick in the 2025 NBA draft out of Duke, was rookie of the year at age 19 and set an NBA record for teenagers by scoring 40 or more points four times, breaking the record of three set by James in the 2003-2004 season.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The high court’s deadlock meant that the lower court’s ruling remained in place, so there was no precedent set by the Supreme Court in the matter.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
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

Cite this Entry

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

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