give up

Short definition: The phrase give up means to stop trying, surrender, or quit an activity or goal, often due to difficulty or loss of hope.

Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the phrasal verb give up? This is a very common expression in English and it usually relates to stopping an effort, quitting a habit, or deciding not to continue trying to achieve something. You’ll often hear it in conversations about challenges, personal goals, sports, or difficult situations where someone decides that continuing is no longer possible or worthwhile. Sometimes it carries a negative tone because it suggests surrender, but in other contexts it can also describe making a healthy or practical decision, such as giving up a harmful habit. Below are detailed meanings with realistic examples so you can clearly understand how give up works in everyday English.

give up v. /ˌɡɪv ˈʌp/

Forms: give up, gives up, gave up, given up, giving up
Related: surrender v., quit v., abandon v., stop v.
Syllable: give-up

(Verb) To stop trying to do something because it seems too difficult or impossible.
To give up most commonly means deciding to stop trying to achieve something because it feels too difficult, frustrating, or unlikely to succeed.

After hours of trying to solve the puzzle, he finally decided to give up.

She refused to give up even when the project became extremely challenging.

Many athletes say the most important thing is never to give up during tough moments.

Synonyms: quit, surrender, abandon effort, stop trying, give in, throw in the towel, concede defeat, lose resolve, drop attempt, admit defeat, stop pursuing, call it quits
Antonyms: continue, persist, keep trying, persevere, push forward, carry on, hold on, stay determined, press on, maintain effort, fight on, stay committed
(Verb) To stop doing or using something, especially a habit.
Give up can also mean deciding to stop doing something regularly, especially when referring to habits, behaviors, or routines.

He decided to give up smoking after realizing how unhealthy it was.

She tried to give up eating junk food during the week.

Many people give up certain habits as part of a New Year’s resolution.

Synonyms: quit habit, stop doing, abandon practice, discontinue, renounce, refrain from, give up habit, break habit, stop using, leave behind, cease behavior, drop routine
Antonyms: continue habit, maintain behavior, keep doing, resume habit, persist in behavior, return to habit, carry on habit, maintain routine, stick with, keep practicing, sustain behavior, repeat action
(Verb) To surrender or hand something over.
In another sense, give up can mean surrendering something, such as control, an object, or even a person, usually to authorities or another group.

The suspect eventually gave himself up to the police.

They were forced to give up their land after the dispute.

The soldiers refused to give up their position without a fight.

Synonyms: surrender, hand over, relinquish, yield, deliver up, give away control, submit, turn in, concede possession, release control, cede authority, transfer possession
Antonyms: keep, retain, hold onto, defend, protect, maintain control, preserve possession, claim ownership, resist surrender, secure control, safeguard, keep hold

Conversation Using the Phrasal Verb Give up

In a career coaching session, Sebastian and Elena discuss perseverance. The dialogue explores give up, which means to stop trying to do something, to stop a habit (like smoking), or to surrender to an authority.

Sebastian: I’ve been trying to learn a new language for months, and there were several times when I almost decided to give up entirely.

Elena: I understand the frustration, but you shouldn't give up now when you’ve already made so much progress with your vocabulary.

Sebastian: I read that many famous inventors had to fail hundreds of times before they succeeded, but they never chose to give up on their ideas.

Elena: I noticed that my uncle finally managed to give up smoking after thirty years, and he feels much healthier and more energetic now.

Sebastian: If the suspect refuses to give up to the police, the situation could become much more dangerous for everyone involved in the standoff.

Elena: I saw an athlete give up her spot in the race to help a fellow competitor who had fallen and injured her leg during the marathon.

Sebastian: It’s important to never give up on your dreams, even if the path to reaching them is much more difficult than you originally expected.

Elena: I agree; I’m going to try to give up eating junk food for a month to see if it helps me focus better during my late-night study sessions.

Sebastian: I’m glad you didn't give up on the project; your persistence has finally led to the major breakthrough that we’ve been waiting for.

Elena: Me too; once we refuse to give up, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve the success that we’ve worked so hard for together.

Phrases Containing the Phrasal Verb Give Up

The phrases below show how the phrasal verb give up is used to talk about quitting, stopping an activity, or surrendering in different situations.

Give up smoking

To stop a habit permanently.

After years of trying, he finally decided to give up smoking in order to improve his health and lifestyle.

Give up hope

To stop believing something good will happen.

Even in difficult times, she refused to give up hope and kept working toward her goals.

Give up too soon

To quit earlier than necessary.

Many people give up too soon without realizing they are very close to success.

Give up on someone

To stop believing in a person.

His teacher never gave up on him, even when his grades were falling.

Give up easily

To quit without much effort.

If you give up easily, you might miss valuable opportunities to grow and improve.

Give up a dream

To stop pursuing an ambition.

She refused to give up her dream of becoming a writer despite facing rejection.

Give up control

To surrender authority.

The leader was unwilling to give up control of the project to someone less experienced.

Give up trying

To stop making an effort.

He almost gave up trying after several failures, but encouragement helped him continue.

Give up your seat

To offer your place to someone else.

She politely gave up her seat on the bus to an elderly passenger.

Give up for good

To quit permanently.

After careful consideration, he decided to give up for good and focus on a new career path.

Give up the fight

To stop resisting.

The team refused to give up the fight even when they were losing.

Give up without a reason

To quit without explanation.

It’s frustrating when someone gives up without a reason after promising to help.

Give up ownership

To surrender property rights.

He agreed to give up ownership of the business as part of the settlement.

Give up the opportunity

To let a chance go.

She didn’t want to give up the opportunity to study abroad.

Give up halfway

To stop before finishing.

He has a habit of giving up halfway through projects when they become challenging.

Give up responsibility

To stop being accountable.

Leaders should not give up responsibility when facing difficulties.

Give up everything

To sacrifice all possessions or goals.

She was willing to give up everything to protect her family.

Give up complaining

To stop expressing dissatisfaction.

If you give up complaining and focus on solutions, progress becomes easier.

Give up alcohol

To stop drinking.

He decided to give up alcohol after realizing it affected his productivity.

Never give up

To continue despite difficulties.

Her personal motto is to never give up, no matter how hard the journey becomes.

Words Rhyme with give up

live up

sieve up

forgive up

relive up

outlive up

believe up

receive up

achieve up

deceive up

conceive up

cup

pup

sup

yup

hiccup

pickup

makeup

shakeup

breakup

wakeup

checkup

stickup

mockup

lockup

linkup

setup

getup

letup

windup

POS: Verb Phrase