as in surrender
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1
as in relinquishing
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
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2
as in abandoning
to stop doing (something) permanently
I hope you won't give up playing the piano
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3
as in succumbing
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
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4
as in indulging
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of giving up
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The Ducks fell into a not-so-old habit, giving up a goal on the first shot of the game, this time just 66 seconds into the match.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Blanco, meanwhile, also earned the pitching victory, striking out three and giving up four hits in three innings.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Overall the Lakers committed 21 more turnovers, giving up 26 points off the mistakes while paying dearly for every errant dribble or misfired pass against the swarming Thunder defenders.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Where is that line between being satisfied and comfortable and content and giving up?
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026
The costs of giving up charm pricing seem too great.
—Alison J. Stein, thehustle.co, 1 May 2026
And giving up three young players and a 2026 first-round draft pick was worth it.
—CBS News, 1 May 2026
The decision comes after veteran Filip Gustavsson struggled in April, giving up a total of 10 goals in his final two regular season starts.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
But giving up young forwards would be part of the cost of acquiring the right-shot Zach Whitecloud.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 15 May 2026
The Ducks fell into a not-so-old habit, giving up a goal on the first shot of the game, this time just 66 seconds into the match.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Blanco, meanwhile, also earned the pitching victory, striking out three and giving up four hits in three innings.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Overall the Lakers committed 21 more turnovers, giving up 26 points off the mistakes while paying dearly for every errant dribble or misfired pass against the swarming Thunder defenders.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Where is that line between being satisfied and comfortable and content and giving up?
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026
The costs of giving up charm pricing seem too great.
—Alison J. Stein, thehustle.co, 1 May 2026
And giving up three young players and a 2026 first-round draft pick was worth it.
—CBS News, 1 May 2026
The decision comes after veteran Filip Gustavsson struggled in April, giving up a total of 10 goals in his final two regular season starts.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for giving up
Noun
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The conditions of the surrender permanently ban Szabo from holding a real estate license in North Carolina.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
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Hamas has linked weapon surrender to Israeli troop withdrawals, as Israel’s military continues occupying over half of Gaza and has escalated strikes in recent days.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Trump has said numerous times that any final resolution would have to involve Iran relinquishing its nuclear program, either by means of a diplomatic agreement or by force.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
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And at the counter, where chef and guest are separated by little more than a stretch of the hand, everything rests on precision, presence and the quiet thrill of relinquishing control to the chef’s capable hands.—
Rachel Ingram,
Robb Report,
10 May 2026
Verb
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King has some sympathy for institutions that are genuinely in jeopardy, and not just abandoning their principles out of fear—like colleges and universities.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
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But the biological concerns didn’t seem to have been the primary driver behind abandoning a primo spot on Tuesday night.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Ace Hunter Brown made two starts before succumbing to a shoulder strain and closer Josh Hader has not thrown a pitch in the majors this season.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
7 May 2026
Verb
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In contrast to the first side, side two is a series of four long, moody instrumental electronic pieces, primarily Bowie and Eno indulging their darkest urges.—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
15 May 2026
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Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting, with some slightly-less white lines.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Amend its bylaws to trigger automatic relinquishment of privileges for any physician who violates Texas’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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Mexican Cession, relinquishment of more than half of Mexico’s territory to the United States under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Later that evening, Lennon was assassinated outside of his apartment building, rendering the interview his final words spoken on the record.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
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The Polish writer-director has spent the last decade-plus rendering the period after WWII in severe black-and-white.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The journalist turns his attention to Oda Sotatsu, a man who has admitted to a string of disappearances but refuses to speak another word after surrendering to police.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 May 2026
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Considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Gable won two NCAA titles at Iowa State University and took gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics, without surrendering a single point across six matches.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Giving up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/giving%20up. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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