gave up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gave up" is correct and usable in written English, and is often used in the past tense to indicate that someone abandoned a task or stopped trying.
For example, "After weeks of hard work, I finally gave up on trying to solve the equation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Drury gave up caffeine.

The New Yorker

Finally, he gave up.

The New Yorker

Then I gave up.

Independent

Eventually, I gave up.

The New York Times

He just gave up".

The New Yorker

Essentially, they gave up.

The New Yorker

They never gave up".

The New York Times - Sports

He gave up.

The New York Times - Sports

He quickly gave up.

Independent

Finally, they gave up.

The New Yorker

"Simon never gave up.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gave up" to clearly indicate that someone has stopped trying to do something, especially when they were previously making an effort. For example, "He gave up trying to fix the car and called a mechanic."

Common error

Avoid inserting words between "give" and "up" when "give up" functions as a phrasal verb. For instance, instead of saying "He gave the attempt up", correctly say "He gave up the attempt."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gave up" primarily functions as a phrasal verb in the past tense. It indicates the cessation of an action or effort. Ludwig examples demonstrate its common use in various narrative and descriptive contexts to show that someone stopped trying to achieve something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gave up" is a common phrasal verb used to describe the action of ceasing an effort or abandoning a task. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in news and media. When using "gave up", it's important to maintain the correct phrasal verb structure and be mindful of the context to ensure the intended meaning is clear. Related phrases include "quit", "surrendered", and "abandoned", each carrying slightly different connotations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quit

Single word replacement for a similar meaning.

relented

Implies a yielding after resistance, adding a nuance of previous opposition.

abandoned

Emphasizes leaving something behind, often implying a lack of hope.

ceased trying

More explicit about the action of stopping an attempt.

surrendered

Suggests a more formal or decisive end to a struggle.

yielded

Similar to relented, indicating a giving in to pressure or force.

stopped pursuing

Highlights the termination of an effort to achieve something.

called it quits

An informal expression for stopping an activity.

threw in the towel

An idiomatic expression for admitting defeat.

washed one's hands of

Indicates a complete disavowal of responsibility or involvement.

FAQs

How do I use "gave up" in a sentence?

You can use "gave up" to express that someone stopped trying to do something. For example, "She "gave up" searching for her keys after an hour."

What can I say instead of "gave up"?

You can use alternatives like "quit", "abandoned", or "surrendered" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "given up" instead of "gave up"?

While both are correct, "gave up" is the simple past tense, whereas "given up" is the past participle form, typically used with auxiliary verbs like 'has', 'have', or 'had'. For example, "He has given up hope" versus "He "gave up" trying."

What's the difference between "gave up" and "gave in"?

"Gave up" means to stop trying, while "gave in" means to reluctantly agree to something or yield to pressure. For instance, "He "gave up" on the project" versus "He "gave in" to their demands".