give up
verb
gave up; given up; giving up; gives up
transitive verb
1
: to yield control or possession of : surrender
forced to give up his job
2
: to desist from : abandon
refused to give up her efforts
3
: to declare incurable or insoluble
4
a
: to abandon (oneself) to a particular feeling, influence, or activity
gave himself up to despair
b
: to devote to a particular purpose or use
5
: to despair of seeing
we'd given you up
6
: to allow (a hit or run in baseball) while pitching
intransitive verb
: to cease doing or attempting something especially as an admission of defeat : quit —often used with on
don't give up on the project
Synonyms
- cede
- cough up
- deliver
- hand over
- lay down
- relinquish
- render
- surrender
- turn in
- turn over
- yield
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
was in so much debt he had to give up his house and move into a cheaper apartment I hope you won't give up playing the piano.
Recent Examples on the Web The Rams had put together the idea of a two-year deal so that St. John Bosco would give up its home game next year. 
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 Miami also had too many men on the field earlier in the series to give up a first down. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2022 These days people would rather miss rent payments than give up their cellphone, and most are locked into two-year contracts. Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 In years of often fruitless negotiations with its neighbor, South Korea's leaders have routinely dangled economic incentives for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. Michelle Ye Hee Lee And, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 Then this week, Orange stopped taking appointments for pet owners to give up their animals at its shelter on Conroy Road near the Mall at Millenia. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022 Weather plays a role so don’t give up on a variety for one bad year. oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2022 Colin Holderman, Wil Crowe and Eric Stout combined to give up one run over 3 2/3 innings. David Brandt, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 An entire supply chain of rare minerals, semiconductors, batteries and financing has to fall into place before Americans give up their combustion engines. Steven Mufson, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Aug. 2022 See More
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 Miami also had too many men on the field earlier in the series to give up a first down. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2022 These days people would rather miss rent payments than give up their cellphone, and most are locked into two-year contracts. Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 In years of often fruitless negotiations with its neighbor, South Korea's leaders have routinely dangled economic incentives for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. Michelle Ye Hee Lee And, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 Then this week, Orange stopped taking appointments for pet owners to give up their animals at its shelter on Conroy Road near the Mall at Millenia. Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022 Weather plays a role so don’t give up on a variety for one bad year. oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2022 Colin Holderman, Wil Crowe and Eric Stout combined to give up one run over 3 2/3 innings. David Brandt, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 An entire supply chain of rare minerals, semiconductors, batteries and financing has to fall into place before Americans give up their combustion engines. Steven Mufson, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
gives up
verb
1
as in relinquishes
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- relinquishes
- renders
- surrenders
- delivers
- hands over
- turns in
- lays down
- turns over
- yields
- transfers
- intrusts
- coughs up
- abandons
- cedes
- resigns
- commits
- entrusts
- releases
- deserts
- consigns
- abnegates
- forfeits
- waives
- sheds
- discards
- renounces
- forsakes
- parts (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeps
- retains
- withholds
2
as in abandons
to stop doing (something) permanently I hope you won't give up playing the piano Synonyms & Similar Words
- abandons
- quits
- discontinues
- drops
- lays off (of)
- knocks off
- ends
- leaves off
- has done (with)
- hangs it up
- concludes
- finishes
- breaks off
- shuts off
- throws up
- breaks up
- packs (up or in)
- ceases
- pauses
- expires
- closes
- wraps up
- halts
- tapers off
- winds up
- terminates
- rounds (off or out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- keeps up
- maintains
- keeps
- continues
- holds on
- goes
- hangs in
- hangs on
- persists
- runs on
- carries on
- perseveres
- resumes
- stays
- preserves
- begins
- renews
- starts
- restarts
- reopens
- commences
- follows through (with)
3
as in succumbs
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- succumbs
- surrenders
- knuckles under
- submits
- gives (in)
- falls
- capitulates
- collapses
- bows
- hands over
- buckles
- caves (in)
- relinquishes
- loses
- concedes
- folds
- fails
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- stands
- defies
- opposes
- endures
- resists
- fights
- wins
- overcomes
- beats
- withstands
- prevails
- bucks
- repels
- triumphs
- conquers
4
as in indulges
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- indulges
- surrenders
- yields
- abandons
- delivers
- revels
- overindulges
- basks
- overdoes
- wallows
- rolls
- luxuriates
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- denies
- refrains (from)
- abstains (from)
- eschews
- forgoes
- checks
- foregoes
- inhibits
- restrains
- forbears