give away

USAGE SUMMARY

"give away" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to describe the act of giving something away for free, usually in the context of a competition or charity event. For example, "We are giving away free books at our fundraising event."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Don't give away chances.

The New York Times - Sports

Don't give away the answer.

The New Yorker

A dead give away.

MIT Technology Review

Give away information.

Harvard Business Review

"Give away the rest".

The New York Times

"Why give away medals?

The New York Times - Sports

* Give away capital gains.

The New York Times

Give away one quarter: $600.

Cornell University

I won't give away the ending.

The New Yorker

Consume or give away within six months.

The New York Times

This I'm willing to give away.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to unintentionally revealing secrets, "give away" is a strong alternative to "reveal" or "disclose". For example, "His nervous fidgeting gave away his deception."

Common error

Avoid using "give away" when "give back" or "give in" is more appropriate. "Give back" implies returning something, while "give in" means to yield or surrender.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "give away" primarily functions as a verb, indicating the act of transferring possession without expecting compensation, revealing hidden information, or conceding something. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usage and acceptability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

36%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Science

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrasal verb "give away" is a versatile expression with multiple meanings, including donating, revealing, and conceding. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage. It's prevalent in news, media, and informal contexts. While generally neutral, formal settings might benefit from more precise synonyms like "donate" for charitable acts. Be mindful of potential confusion with similar phrasal verbs like "give back" or "give out". This guide provides a detailed analysis, usage tips, and related phrases to enhance your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

donate

Replaces "give away" in contexts involving charitable contributions.

hand out

Implies distributing something freely to multiple recipients.

offer for free

Emphasizes that something is provided at no cost.

bestow

Suggests conferring something as a gift or honor.

relinquish

Focuses on surrendering control or possession, similar to one sense of "give away".

divulge

Highlights the unintentional revealing of information.

leak

Emphasizes the accidental disclosure of secret information.

award

Describes formally presenting something as a prize or recognition.

impart

Conveys sharing knowledge or information.

betray

Focuses on revealing secrets with negative implications.

FAQs

How is "give away" used in a sentence?

The phrasal verb "give away" can mean to donate something, reveal a secret, or concede an advantage. For example, "She decided to "give away" her old clothes to charity" or "His accent "gave away" that he was from abroad".

What can I say instead of "give away" when donating items?

When referring to donating items, you can use alternatives like "donate", "hand out", or "offer for free". For example, instead of "She "gave away" her books", you could say "She "donated" her books".

Is it correct to use "give away" in a formal context?

Yes, "give away" is acceptable in formal contexts, especially when referring to relinquishing control or revealing information unintentionally. However, for donations, a more formal term like "donate" might be preferred.

What is the difference between "give away" and "give out"?

"Give away" implies gifting something or revealing a secret. "Give out", on the other hand, typically means to distribute something to multiple people. For example, "The company "gave out" free samples".