Give up and Take up

Opposite meaning terms

Give up verb - To give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress.

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Take up is an antonym for give up in topics: abandon, fall, quit a habit.

Take up verb - To take for one's own use (something originated by another).

Usage example: one cluster of fans started chanting the team name of the champions, and the crowd quickly took up the cry

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Give up is an antonym for take up.

All the other rabbits hailed him as a hero, inspiring him to give up his heretofore-unmentioned dream of being a fireman to take up a career as a police officer instead.

Source: Webcomic / Axe Cop
In one episode of Ranma ½ a knock on the head rewrites Ranma's personality and s/he decides she wants to give up martial arts and take up flower arranging instead.

Source: Father, I Don't Want To Fight
Ryou cooks well, and is called out by her friends to give up drawing and take up catering instead, but her sense of taste is easily affected by her mood, particularly loneliness.

Source: Supreme Chef

Cite this Source

Take up and Give up. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/give_up/take_up

Give up & Take up. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/give_up/take_up>.

Take up or Give up. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/give_up/take_up.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "give up" and "take up" have occurred on timeline