ɡɪv ʌp
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- give
- Particle:
- up
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "give up" mean?
- To stop trying to do something, often because it is too difficult
- To quit a habit or activity
- To surrender or stop resisting
- To stop hoping or believing in something
Examples
- Don't give up! You're so close to finishing the project.
- She gave up smoking three years ago and feels much healthier.
- The police surrounded the building and the robbers finally gave up.
- I've given up trying to understand his behavior.
- He gave up his seat on the bus for an elderly woman.
How to use it
Very common phrasal verb. 'Never give up' is an encouraging expression. Can also mean to offer or yield something (give up your seat).
Word order
Separable with objects: 'give something up' (e.g., 'give up smoking' or 'give smoking up')
Similar expressions
quit
stop
abandon
surrender
renounce
Opposites
continue
persist
persevere
keep trying
Related phrasal verbs
- give away
To give something to someone for free
- give in
To finally agree to something after refusing or resisting
- give back
To return something to its owner
- give out
To distribute something to multiple people
- give off
To emit or produce something (smell, heat, light, radiation)
- get up
To rise from bed after sleeping
Use it in a practice answer
Try "give up" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.