give up

stop doing or having something

B1

What does "give sth up" mean?

To give up something means to stop doing it or to stop having it — often because you have decided it is not good for you, or because it requires too much effort or sacrifice. It is commonly used with habits, activities, and goals: you can give up smoking, give up sugar, or give up the idea of moving abroad. There is usually a sense that the thing being given up was important or difficult to let go of, which makes it feel like a real decision or sacrifice. This phrasal verb is extremely common in everyday English and appears in all kinds of situations, from personal health choices to big life decisions. It is often followed by another verb in the -ing form, for example 'give up trying' or 'give up eating meat'.

Examples

How to use it

give up + activity/habit (gerund)

When the object is a verb (another action), use the -ing form, not the infinitive.

My brother finally gave up eating junk food after joining the gym.

give up + noun object

Use this pattern when the object is a thing, idea, or goal that is being abandoned.

She gave up her job in the city to start her own business.

give + pronoun + up

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'give' and 'up' — it cannot come after 'up'.

The coffee was hard to give up, but she gave it up for good.

give up + noun + for + reason/person

Use 'for' after the object to explain what motivated the sacrifice.

He gave up his place on the team for a younger player.

never / don't + give up + object

Imperatives with 'give up' are very common, especially to encourage someone not to stop pursuing something.

Don't give up your dream just because it's taking longer than you expected.

Common Collocations

give up smokinggive up hopegive up tryinggive up a dreamgive up sugargive up a job

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between 'give' and 'up'. Placing it after 'up' is ungrammatical.

✗ She decided to give up it.
✓ She decided to give it up.
Using the infinitive instead of the -ing form

When 'give up' is followed by another verb, that verb must be in the -ing form, not the infinitive.

✗ He gave up to try after a few weeks.
✓ He gave up trying after a few weeks.
Confusing 'give up' with 'give in'

'Give in' means to stop resisting pressure from someone else, while 'give up' means to stop doing or pursuing something yourself. They are not interchangeable.

✗ She gave in chocolate as part of her new diet.
✓ She gave up chocolate as part of her new diet.

Usage

Fully neutral and extremely common in all situations, from casual chat to formal writing. When followed by another verb, use the -ing form: 'give up trying', 'give up smoking'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'give up' be used without an object?

Yes, but it has a different meaning. Without an object, 'give up' means to stop trying completely or to admit defeat — for example, 'I give up!' This entry focuses on the sense where you stop doing or having something specific, which always requires an object, like 'give up sugar' or 'give up the idea'.

What is the difference between 'give up' and 'give up on'?

'Give up on' is a different phrasal verb that means to lose faith or hope in a person or cause — for example, 'Don't give up on me.' 'Give up' (this sense) focuses on abandoning an activity, habit, or thing, not a person. The key difference is whether 'on' follows the particle.

Can 'give up' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive is natural when talking about things that were relinquished, such as habits, rights, or possessions. For example, 'The habit was given up after years of trying' is perfectly correct. The passive is less common when 'give up' describes a personal, ongoing decision.

Does 'give up for' mean the same as just 'give up'?

Adding 'for' explains the reason or the person behind the sacrifice — for example, 'She gave up her career for her family.' The meaning of abandoning something stays the same, but 'for' adds the idea of an exchange or a purpose. Without 'for', you are simply stating what was given up.

What kinds of things can follow 'give up'?

Almost anything you stop doing or stop having can follow 'give up' — habits like smoking or drinking, foods like sugar or meat, goals like a dream or a career, and abstract things like hope or control. It is also very natural with another verb in the -ing form, such as 'give up trying' or 'give up looking for a new flat'.

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