Give up means to stop doing something you did regularly, such as a habit or an activity, or to stop trying because something is too hard. In the first meaning, the thing you stop comes after the phrase: “give up sugar”, “give up smoking”. In the second, “give up” often ends the sentence: It's too hard, I give up.
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give up + noun/-ing; give it/them up; give up on + person/plan
- My dad gave up smoking ten years ago and has never started again.
- The last question was too hard, so I gave up and moved on to the essay.
- Don't give up on learning English just because progress feels slow in the first month.
What changed
First versionI gave up to smoke last year.
RevisionI gave up smoking last year.
After “give up”, the activity you stop takes the -ing form, not “to” + verb: “gave up smoking”, not “gave up to smoke”. The rest of the sentence stays the same.
“Give up on” means to stop believing in someone or something and stop hoping they will succeed: Don't give up on him, he's really trying. “Give in” means to agree to something after someone has pushed you for a long time: My son had been asking for a dog for a year, and we finally gave in.
Your turn
My doctor advised me to give up ___ coffee in the evenings.
Show the answer
drinking — After “give up”, the activity takes the -ing form, which gives “drinking”. “To drink” may look natural, but this phrase is not followed by “to” + verb.
Write about a habit you have given up or want to give up. Name the habit and explain why you decided to stop.
I gave up checking my phone in bed because I kept falling asleep after midnight.
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