give up for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "give up for" is not correct or usable in written English.
You may be thinking of the phrase "give up on," which means to stop trying to do something. For example: "He finally gave up on trying to learn Spanish."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You can rest assured that I will not give up for one minute".

The New York Times

Perhaps they can work out what freedom of action Germany must give up for that boon.

The New York Times

"Any team has to think: 'What can I give up for him now?

The New York Times - Sports

Want to find out about some more things you could give up for lent?

The Guardian

"The question is how much liberty and freedom you give up for safety and security.

The New York Times

But what, Madonna's film asks poignantly, did she give up for him?

The Guardian - Film

Is having multiple children a right, and if so is it one we should give up for the greater good?

Stanford University

We also aim to find out how much privacy users are willing to give up for an incentive.

University of California, Berkeley

The graph shows how much in lifetime benefits she would give up for each additional year she waited.

The New York Times

In a rather provocative poll, millennials were asked what they were willing to give up for their career.

The Washington Post

It matters that you don't just give up". For someone like me this was a very powerful message.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While the phrase "give up for" appears in various contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Consider using alternative phrasings such as "give up on" or "sacrifice for" to ensure clarity and correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is using "give up for" when you mean to stop trying to achieve something. Always use "give up on" in these instances. For example, say "I'm giving up on this project" not "I'm giving up for this project".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "give up for" functions as a prepositional phrase, often misused as a substitute for other idiomatic expressions. However, the Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect in most contexts. Instead, it is frequently mistaken as "give up on".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Academia

22%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "give up for" frequently appears in diverse sources, including news media, academic papers, and online wikis. Despite its common occurrence, Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as grammatically incorrect in most contexts, often intended to mean "give up on". Proper alternatives include "sacrifice for", "abandon for", or simply "give up on". It's essential to recognize the intended meaning and use the correct phrasing to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Using these alternatives enhances communication by avoiding a construction often regarded as an error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sacrifice for

This phrase suggests giving up something valuable for a greater cause or benefit.

surrender for

This phrase suggests giving up control or possession, often in a conflict.

forgo for

This means to abstain from or give up something desirable.

abandon for

This alternative implies a complete desertion or relinquishment, often in favor of something else.

give in for

Similar to "give up", this indicates ceasing effort, however "for" is not gramatically correct

relinquish for

This indicates a formal or official surrender of something, often a right or claim.

quit for

Similar to "give up", this indicates stopping a task

cede for

This implies yielding or surrendering something, often under pressure or obligation.

trade for

This alternative refers to exchanging something for something else, implying a swap.

exchange for

Similar to 'trade for', this indicates a mutual giving and receiving.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say you're ceasing effort on something?

The correct phrase is "give up on", not "give up for". For example, "I'm going to "give up on" trying to fix this old car" is correct.

What can I say instead of "give up for" if I mean to sacrifice something?

If you intend to convey the meaning of sacrificing something for a cause, use "sacrifice for". For instance, "He decided to "sacrifice for" the greater good" is a suitable alternative.

When is it appropriate to use "give up"?

"Give up" is correct when used in conjunction with a preposition like "on". If you're simply stopping an activity, you can say "I "give up"!" without needing "for".

Is "give up for" ever grammatically correct?

In most common contexts, "give up for" is not grammatically correct. It's often a misconstruction of ""give up on"". Always double-check the intended meaning to ensure correct usage.