Give — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈgiv/

Meaning & Definition of Give

Give (verb)

  1. to make a present of
  2. to grant or bestow by formal action
  3. to accord or yield to another

Give (noun)

  1. capacity or tendency to yield to force or strain, flexibility
  2. the ability of a material to bend or stretch

Give (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make a present of

    "thanked all the tutors who generously gave their time to help students after school"

    similar: bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, volunteer, give of
    related: chip in, kick in, pitch in, throw in, award, confer, endow, endue, render, afford, comp, furnish, provide, lavish, regale, aid, assist, benefit, help, administer, dish out, dispense, dole out, hand out, impart, issue, mete (out), extend, fork (over, out, or up), offer, pay, proffer, pungle (up), put up, tender, sacrifice
    near: hold, keep, pocket, retain, withhold, preserve, save, advance, lend, loan, sell

  2. to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another

    "gave my camera to my father to hold while I went swimming"

    similar: commend, commit, confide, consign, delegate, deliver, entrust, give over, hand, hand over, leave, pass, recommend, repose, transfer, transmit, trust, turn over, vest
    related: confer, grant, assign, deal (out), dispense, disperse, distribute, divide, hand in, release, relinquish, submit, surrender, turn in, yield, bequeath, hand down, hand on, will, advance, lend, loan, furnish, supply, recommit, redeliver, retransfer, retransmit
    opposite: hold, keep, retain
    near: detain, hold back, reserve, withhold, own, possess, accept, receive, take in, occupy, take, take over

  3. to bring before the public in performance or exhibition

    "the author will give a reading from her latest work at 7:00 p.m."

    similar: carry, mount, offer, present, stage, come out with
    related: display, exhibit, expose, parade, show, show off, unveil, preview, act, impersonate, perform, play, portray, depict, dramatize, enact, render, represent, extend, proffer, tender

  4. to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure

    "they loaded the shopping cart with so much food it gave under all the weight"

    similar: buckle, cave (in), collapse, crumple, founder, go, go out, implode, tumble, yield, give way
    related: deflate, flatten, melt, melt down, break, break down, conk (out), crash, die, fail, give out, stall, burst, shatter, smash, splinter, split, crack, crumble, pop, snap
    near: inflate, rise, swell

  5. to hand over or use up in payment

    "I wouldn't give a nickel for such a run-down car"

    similar: disburse, drop, expend, fork (over, out, or up), lay out, outlay, pay, shell out, spend
    related: lavish, rain, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), run through, squander, throw away, waste
    near: cache, hoard, lay up, save, acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize, secure, win

  6. to make known (as an idea, emotion, or opinion)

    "she gave her opinion on the matter very firmly and unmistakably"

    similar: air, expound, express, look, raise, sound, state, vent, ventilate, voice, give air to, put forth
    related: advertise, announce, declare, enounce, enunciate, proclaim, say, broadcast, circulate, disseminate, publish, describe, write, write up, sound off, speak out, speak up, chime in, communicate, convey, put across, put over, offer, submit
    opposite: stifle, suppress
    near: censor, restrain, restrict

  7. to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention

    "totally gave himself to his studies in the hopes of winning a scholarship for next year"

    similar: address, apply, bend, buckle, devote, get cracking, get one's act together, get with it, turn one's hand
    related: readdress, reapply, knuckle down, set (to), settle (down), busy, commit, concern, engage, involve, exert, exhaust, put out, spend, strain, stress, tax, trouble, wear out, carry on, pitch in, plunge (in), grind, hump, hustle, peg (away), plod, plow, plug (away), work
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, fiddle (around), fool around, idle, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

  8. to produce as revenue

    "a company that consistently gives $30 million in profits to the owner"

    similar: bear, pay, return, yield
    related: bring in, net, afford, furnish, provide, supply, pay off

  9. to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption

    "gave him my e-mail address"

    similar: deliver, feed, furnish, hand, hand over, provide, supply
    related: ply (with), administer, allocate, apportion, deal (out), dispense, distribute, dole out, mete (out), parcel (out), portion, prorate, assign, cede, deed, make over, transfer
    opposite: hold (back), keep (back), reserve, retain, withhold
    near: conserve, keep up, maintain, preserve, save

  10. to put before another for acceptance or consideration

    "she gave the committee her grant proposal"

    similar: extend, offer, proffer, tender, trot out, run by
    related: pose, propose, hold out, give in, submit, volunteer
    near: accept, receive, take, accredit, approbate, approve, authorize, clear, confirm, finalize, formalize, homologate, OK, ratify, sanction, warrant, decline, deny, disallow, disapprove, negative, reject, turn down, veto, rebuff, rebut, refuse, spurn, retract, withdraw, disregard, ignore, neglect, overlook

  11. to cause (something) to pass from one to another

    "she gave her cold to me, and now I'm so sick that I can barely get out of bed"

    similar: communicate, conduct, convey, impart, spread, transfer, transfuse, transmit
    related: deliver, hand over, surrender, turn over, broadcast, diffuse, disseminate, propagate, hand down, hand on, contaminate, infect, poison
    near: catch, come down (with), contract

Related Entry: Give-and-take (noun)

Give-and-take is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give-and-take, not for give.

  1. an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue

    "a give-and-take about what we should do Saturday night"

    similar: argument, argumentation, argy-bargy (chiefly British), back-and-forth, colloquy, confab, confabulation, conference, consult, consultation, council, counsel, debate, deliberation, dialogue, discussion, palaver, parley, talk
    related: bull session, chat room, forum, meeting, roundtable, seminar, skull session, symposium, talkathon, chat, conversation, rap, words, discourse, disquisition, bargaining, consultancy, negotiation, pourparler

  2. the act or practice of each side giving up something in order to reach an agreement

    "negotiating the terms of the deal will require some give-and-take on both sides"

    similar: accommodation, compromise, concession, negotiation
    related: haggle, horse trade, accord, arrangement, bargain, concurrence, consensus, deal, understanding, agreement, settlement, mediation, treaty

  3. good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks

    "enjoyed the flirty give-and-take between the two romantic lead characters"

    similar: backchat, badinage, banter, chaff, jesting, joshing, persiflage, raillery, repartee
    related: barb, crack, dig, gag, gambit, jest, joke, laugh, pleasantry, quip, sally, waggery, wisecrack, witticism, drollness, facetiousness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness, richness, fooling, kidding, mocking, razzing, ribbing, ridiculing, humor, wit, wordplay, nothings, chatter, chitchat, gossip, small talk

Related Entry: Give away (verb)

Give away is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give away, not for give.

  1. to make known (something abstract) through outward signs

    "the insincerity of his apology was given away by that slight smirk on his face"

    similar: bespeak, betray, communicate, declare, demonstrate, display, evince, expose, manifest, reveal, show
    related: bare, disclose, unbosom, uncloak, uncover, advertise, air, announce, blaze, broadcast, placard, proclaim, publicize, sound, trumpet, project
    near: belie, misrepresent, distort, falsify, garble, twist, camouflage, disguise, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash, conceal, counterfeit, cover, hide, mask, obscure, occlude, veil

  2. to make a present of

    "gave away all her potted plants when she moved"

    similar: bestow, contribute, donate, give, present, volunteer, give of
    related: chip in, kick in, pitch in, throw in, award, confer, endow, endue, render, afford, comp, furnish, provide, lavish, regale, aid, assist, benefit, help, administer, dish out, dispense, dole out, hand out, impart, issue, mete (out), extend, fork (over, out, or up), offer, pay, proffer, pungle (up), put up, tender, sacrifice
    near: hold, keep, pocket, retain, withhold, preserve, save, advance, lend, loan, sell

Related Entry: Give in (verb)

Give in is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give in, not for give.

  1. to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)

    "give in and have some chocolate"

    similar: bow, cave (in), submit, succumb, surrender, yield
    related: cater (to), gratify, indulge, wallow, acquiesce (to), concede (to), buckle (under), knuckle under, give over (to)
    opposite: hold off, resist
    near: battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, fight, meet, object, oppose, repel, thwart, withstand, reject, bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle

  2. to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)

    "after withstanding hours of begging, their father finally gave in and let them go to the amusement park"

    similar: blink, bow, budge, capitulate, concede, knuckle under, quit, relent, submit, succumb, surrender, yield, say uncle, throw in the towel
    related: acquiesce, defer
    opposite: resist
    near: contend, fight, hold off, battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, meet, object, oppose, repel, thwart, withstand

Related Entry: Give out (verb)

Give out is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give out, not for give.

  1. to make known openly or publicly

    "that's information that I'm not prepared to give out"

    similar: advertise, announce, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon, broadcast, declare, enunciate, flash, herald, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, release, sound, trumpet, beat the drum (for or about), run with
    related: bark, call (off or out), cry, bill, billboard, bulletin, gazette (chiefly British), knell, ring, toll, blurb, feature, pitch, plug, promote, puff, disseminate, spread, disclose, divulge, introduce, kithe (chiefly Scottish), manifest, report, reveal, show, advise, apprise, hand down, inform, notify, communicate, impart, intimate
    near: conceal, hush (up), silence, suppress, withhold, recall, recant, retract, revoke

  2. to throw or give off

    "this heater gives out a funny smell sometimes"

    similar: cast, discharge, emanate, emit, evolve, exhale, expel, expire (archaic), irradiate, issue, radiate, release, send (out), shoot, throw out, vent
    related: eliminate, evacuate, excrete, exude, ooze, secrete, eject, erupt, gush, jet, outpour, pour, spew, spout, spray, spurt, squirt
    near: absorb, inhale, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take up

  3. to stop functioning

    "waiting for the fuel pump in my old car to give out"

    similar: break, break down, conk (out), crash, cut out, die, fail, stall
    related: fizzle, sputter, wheeze, act up, malfunction, jam
    opposite: start (up)

Related Entry: Give over (verb)

Give over is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give over, not for give.

  1. to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end

    "his wife suggested that he give over working such long hours if it was making him so unhappy"

    similar: break, break off, break up, can (slang), cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, halt, knock off, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut off, stop, have done with, put the kibosh on
    related: complete, conclude, finish, close (down), deactivate, block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem, call, suspend, arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch, stunt, suppress, turn back, pause, stay, abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuff
    near: carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on, advance, proceed, progress, actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

  2. to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another

    "gave over his entire savings to an investor"

    similar: commend, commit, confide, consign, delegate, deliver, entrust, give, hand, hand over, leave, pass, recommend, repose, transfer, transmit, trust, turn over, vest
    related: confer, grant, assign, deal (out), dispense, disperse, distribute, divide, hand in, release, relinquish, submit, surrender, turn in, yield, bequeath, hand down, hand on, will, advance, lend, loan, furnish, supply, recommit, redeliver, retransfer, retransmit
    opposite: hold, keep, retain
    near: detain, hold back, reserve, withhold, own, possess, accept, receive, take in, occupy, take, take over

Related Entry: Give up (verb)

Give up is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give up, not for give.

  1. to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress

    "was in so much debt he had to give up his house and move into a cheaper apartment"

    similar: cede, cough up, deliver, hand over, lay down, relinquish, render, surrender, turn in, turn over, yield
    related: commit, consign, entrust, transfer, forfeit, release, waive, abnegate, renounce, resign, abandon, desert, discard, forsake, part (with), shed
    near: keep, retain, withhold

  2. to stop doing (something) permanently

    "I hope you won't give up playing the piano"

    similar: abandon, discontinue, drop, knock off, lay off (of), pack (up or in), quit, hang it up, have done (with)
    related: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, end, expire, finish, halt, leave off, shut off, pause, taper off, throw up, round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap up
    opposite: carry on, continue, keep, keep up, maintain
    near: go, run on, hang in, hang on, hold on, persevere, persist, follow through (with), renew, reopen, restart, resume, preserve, stay, begin, commence, start

  3. to yield to the control or power of enemy forces

    "with the prospect of a renewed enemy attack, the regiment decided to simply give up"

    similar: capitulate, fall, knuckle under, submit, succumb, surrender
    related: bow, buckle, cave (in), collapse, give (in), hand over, relinquish, lose, concede, fail, fold
    opposite: endure, stand
    near: buck, defy, fight, oppose, repel, resist, withstand, beat, overcome, win, conquer, prevail, triumph

  4. to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly

    "even in the darkest days of her troubled marriage, she refused to give herself up to feelings of utter hopelessness"

    similar: abandon, deliver, indulge, surrender, yield
    related: overdo, overindulge, bask, luxuriate, revel, roll, wallow
    opposite: deny
    near: abstain (from), eschew, forbear, forgo, refrain (from), check, inhibit, restrain

Related Entry: Give up (to) (verb)

Give up (to) is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give up (to), not for give.

  1. to keep or intend for a special purpose

    "unfortunately, when he was in college, weekends were largely given up to binge drinking"

    similar: allocate, consecrate, dedicate, devote, earmark, reserve, save, set by, set apart, set aside
    related: bless, hallow, sanctify, commit, confide, consign, entrust, apply, bestow, employ, use
    near: ignore, neglect, misapply, misuse

Related Entry: Give a hang (phrase)

Give a hang is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give a hang, not for give.

  1. to experience concern or anxiety

    "I don't give a hang what you do, as long as you leave me alone."

    similar: bother, fear, fret, fuss, stew, stress, sweat, trouble, worry, sweat blood
    related: agonize, long, pine, yearn, chafe, despair
    near: accept, abide, bear, endure, stick out, stomach, sustain, take, tolerate

Related Entry: Give a hard time (phrase)

Give a hard time is a different word from Give. The synonyms below are for give a hard time, not for give.

  1. to create difficulty for the work or activity of

    "If he would stop giving me a hard time about everything I do, I might get this project done on time."

    similar: clog, cramp, embarrass, encumber, fetter, hamper, handcuff, handicap, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold back, hold up, impede, inhibit, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, short-circuit, stymie, tie up, trammel, cramp one's style
    related: balk, check, constrain, curb, rein, restrain, bind, chain, halter, leash, tether, tie, arrest, brake, delay, retain, retard, barricade, block, blockade, roadblock, bog (down), mire, choke, smother, stifle, strangle, suffocate, baffle, foil, frustrate, stump, thwart, derail, disrupt, sabotage, muzzle, repress, suppress, confine, hedge (in), hem (in)
    opposite: aid, assist, facilitate, help
    near: clear, make way, open, unclog, unplug, unstop, free, liberate, release, untie, loosen, smooth, encourage, further, promote

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Give

The most common words with a similar meaning to Give:

bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, volunteer, commend, commit, confide, consign, delegate, deliver, entrust, give over, hand, hand over, leave, pass, recommend, repose, transfer, transmit, trust, turn over, vest, carry, mount, offer, stage, buckle, cave (in), collapse, crumple, founder, go, go out, implode, tumble, yield, disburse

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Give

Words with the opposite meaning of Give:

hold, keep, retain, stifle, suppress, hold (back), keep (back), reserve, withhold

Related Words for Give

chip in, kick in, pitch in, throw in, award, confer, endow, endue, render, afford, comp, lavish, regale, aid, assist, benefit, help, administer, dish out, dispense, dole out, hand out, issue, mete (out), pungle (up), put up, sacrifice, grant, assign, deal (out)

Near Antonyms of Give

pocket, preserve, save, advance, lend, loan, sell, detain, hold back, own, possess, accept, receive, take in, occupy, take, take over, inflate, rise, swell, cache, hoard, lay up, acquire, earn, gain, garner, make, procure, realize

Word Forms of Give

Inflections: gave, given, giving

Origin & Etymology of Give

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish giva to give; akin to Old English giefan, gifan to give, and perhaps to Latin habēre to have, hold

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Give

Words & Phrases Containing Give

give a good account of oneself, give a hang, give-and-go, give-and-take, give away, give birth

Frequently Asked Questions about Give

What does "Give" mean?

"Give" means to make a present of. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to make a present of. It has 11 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Give"?

Other words for "Give" include bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, volunteer, commend and commit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Give" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Give"?

There are 252 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Give". Common alternatives include bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, volunteer, commend, commit, confide and consign.

What is the opposite of "Give"?

Antonyms of "Give" include hold, keep, retain, stifle, suppress, hold (back), keep (back) and reserve. Near antonyms include pocket, preserve, save and advance.

How do you use "Give" in a sentence?

Examples of "Give" in a sentence: "thanked all the tutors who generously gave their time to help students after school"; "gave my camera to my father to hold while I went swimming"; "the author will give a reading from her latest work at 7:00 p.m.".

Is "Give" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Give" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Give" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Give" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Give"?

"Give" is pronounced /ˈgiv/.