had given up

USAGE SUMMARY

"had given up" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used in the past perfect tense and can be used in a variety of contexts. For example, "John had given up hope of finding his lost dog."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"I had given up," she said.

The New York Times

Mr. Dell had given up the C.E.O.

The New York Times

Nuno had given up the ghost already.

Independent

Everyone had given up".

The New York Times

He had given up hope.

The Guardian - Books

Most had given up scavenging for food.

The Guardian - Books

"I had given up all hope.

The New York Times - Sports

But I had given up eating fish.

The Guardian

"I had given up looking," he said.

The New York Times

They had given up more prospects to get Halladay.

The New York Times

He said that he had given up drinking.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had given up", ensure the context clearly indicates what was relinquished and the reason behind it. For example, specify whether someone "had given up" a job, a dream, or simply trying to find something.

Common error

Avoid using "had given up" without specifying what was abandoned. For example, instead of saying "He had given up", clarify with "He had given up his search for the treasure" to provide a complete understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had given up" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, indicating a completed action of ceasing to try or abandoning something before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had given up" is a common and grammatically correct past perfect verb phrase used to indicate the cessation of effort or abandonment of something before a specified time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's versatile and appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in News & Media sources. While generally neutral in tone, ensuring clarity by specifying what was abandoned is key. Alternatives like "had abandoned" or "had lost hope" can provide nuanced shades of meaning depending on the specific situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had lost hope

Highlights the feeling of despair and lack of optimism.

had stopped trying

Focuses on the lack of further effort or attempts.

had abandoned

Suggests leaving something behind completely, often due to difficulty or hopelessness.

had relinquished

Implies a formal or deliberate act of giving something up, often a position or right.

had quit

Indicates stopping an activity or endeavor, often informally.

had ceased

Emphasizes the termination or ending of something, often in a formal or official context.

had withdrawn from

Suggests a retreat or removal from a situation or activity.

had surrendered

Implies yielding or giving in to something, often an opponent or challenge.

had desisted from

A more formal way of saying someone stopped doing something.

had washed one's hands of

Idiomatic expression indicating a complete disavowal of responsibility or involvement.

FAQs

How is "had given up" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had given up" is used to indicate that someone stopped trying or abandoned something in the past. For example, "She "had given up hope" of finding her lost cat after searching for days."

What are some alternatives to "had given up"?

You can use alternatives such as "had abandoned", "had relinquished", or "had stopped trying", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has given up" instead of "had given up"?

The choice between "has given up" and "had given up" depends on the tense. "Has given up" is present perfect, indicating an action completed at an unspecified time before now, while "had given up" is past perfect, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. For instance, "He "has given up" smoking" (present perfect) versus "He "had given up" smoking before he turned 30" (past perfect).

What's the difference between "giving up" and "had given up"?

"Giving up" is the present continuous form, indicating an ongoing action or state of ceasing to try, while "had given up" is the past perfect form, indicating that the action of ceasing to try was completed before a specific point in the past. For example, "He is "giving up" easily" versus "He "had given up" before anyone could help him".