| Phrasal verb | Main meaning |
|---|---|
give up [ɡɪv ʌp] | to stop trying or quit doing something |
Other meanings
- to surrender
- to stop owning or holding something
- to devote time or energy to something
Example Sentences Using the Phrasal Verb "give up"
- I finally gave up smoking.
- She gave up after failing the exam twice.
- He gave up his seat to the elderly woman.
- They gave themselves up to the police.
- She gave up her career to take care of her family.
Features of Using "give up"
This phrasal verb can refer both to literal surrender and metaphorical quitting. It's widely used in personal development and motivation contexts. Separable when a pronoun is used: “give it up,” not “give up it.”
Other phrasal verbs with the verb give
give back
return something to its owner
give away
to donate something for free
give in
to stop resisting, to surrender
give out
to distribute something to people
give off
to emit (a smell, light, heat, gas, etc.)
give into
to yield or surrender to something
give way
to yield or collapse
give over
to stop (doing something)
give onto
to open onto (a space, street, view, etc.)
give forth
to emit (a sound, smell, light, etc.)
🔗 Learn more about the irregular verb give, including its forms and usage.