give it gas

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "give it gas" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to accelerating a vehicle or increasing speed. Example: "As we approached the highway, I told him to give it gas to merge with the traffic." Alternative expressions include "step on the gas" and "accelerate."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"We have to give it gas.

The New York Times - Sports

The user clicks to freeze the action, and is given three choices: slow down and get ready to stop, swerve left or give it gas.

The New York Times

Then slowly give it gas trying not to burnout.

WikiHow

Give it gas but don't over rev it.

WikiHow

Put the vehicle in drive and give it gas to get up the hill.

WikiHow

If you don't give it gas before you land you might crash.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

If giving it gas on the exit of the corner, you want to roll on the gas smoothly to not rob any turning traction from your car.

WikiHow

Horst Jankowski's chirpy A Walk in the Black Forest will keep this momentum going, then give it some gas with the Jesse Powell Orchestra's swinging The Walking Blues (Walk Right In, Walk Right Out).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Give it some gas, dude!

TechCrunch

By the time we got to Lesson 7, I was kicking up more dust than Pig-Pen in the comic strip "Peanuts," except that Pig-Pen did it without an all-terrain vehicle - specifically, a bright yellow Can-Am Renegade 800R EFI X xc with a liquid-cooled, overhead cam engine that roared with glee when I finally dared to give it some gas.

The New York Times

You should give it more gas than you normally would on a flat launch.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ the phrase metaphorically in high-energy contexts like sports or competitive business to encourage a team to intensify their effort.

Common error

Do not use "give it gas" when you mean 'administer gas' in a medical or chemical sense. In those fields, use precise terms like 'apply anesthetic' or 'supply natural gas' to avoid the idiomatic association with acceleration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "give it gas" functions primarily as an idiomatic verb phrase or an imperative instruction. Ludwig data shows it is frequently used to direct physical actions in vehicle operation, where 'gas' represents the fuel-air mixture controlled by an accelerator. It acts as a transitive verb construction where 'it' serves as a dummy object or refers to the engine/vehicle.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Wiki

55%

News & Media

30%

Sports

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "give it gas" is a robust English idiom that bridges the gap between literal mechanical instruction and figurative motivation. Ludwig AI highlights its prevalence in automotive guides and sports commentary, where it signals a need for increased acceleration or intensity. While the literal query appears in roughly 9 high-quality exact matches, the broader family of related phrases like "step on the gas" expands its utility. Writers should feel confident using it in neutral and informal settings but should opt for more clinical language in technical engineering or scientific documents. Overall, it remains a clear and evocative way to describe the act of powering forward.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

step on the gas

Uses the same metaphor but implies the physical action of pressing a pedal

accelerate

Provides a formal and technical alternative suitable for scientific or official contexts

hit the gas

Carries a slightly more sudden or aggressive connotation than the original query

floor it

Slang for pressing the accelerator to the floor for maximum speed

open the throttle

Used specifically for motorcycles, boats or machinery controlled by a throttle lever

gun it

A more informal and slang-heavy way to describe sudden acceleration

put your foot down

Common in British English to mean either speeding up or becoming firm in a decision

speed up

A simple and universal alternative focusing purely on the result of the action

give it some juice

Highly informal slang that substitutes fuel for power or energy

increase the pace

Better suited for metaphorical contexts like sports or business project management

FAQs

How to use give it gas in a sentence?

In a mechanical context, you might say, "As you reach the top of the ramp, "give it gas" to ensure the car reaches the level surface". Metaphorically, you could say, "We are close to the finish line, so we need to "give it gas" and finish strong".

What can I say instead of "give it gas"?

You can use alternatives like "accelerate", "step on the gas", or "floor it" depending on the level of intensity you want to convey.

Is "give it gas" formal?

No, "give it gas" is considered an informal or neutral idiom. In formal writing or technical manuals, it is better to use "increase acceleration" or "depress the accelerator".

What is the difference between "give it gas" and "hit the gas"?

While both mean to accelerate, "hit the gas" often implies a more sudden or forceful action, whereas "give it gas" can refer to a steady application of power.