Phrasal verb
give up on
Definition
phrasal verb. to stop hoping that someone will improve or that something will succeed.
phrasal verb. to cease to have expectations for or faith in a person, project, or outcome; often implies a loss of patience or belief in potential.
Examples
“Don't give up on your dreams.”
“The coach refused to give up on the team even after they lost five games in a row.”
“Despite several failed prototypes, the lead engineer was not prepared to give up on the original design concept just yet.”
Examples
simple
“Don't give up on your dreams.”
contextual
“The coach refused to give up on the team even after they lost five games in a row.”
complex
“Despite several failed prototypes, the lead engineer was not prepared to give up on the original design concept just yet.”
Usage
followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form) representing the person or thing being abandoned.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'give up' (to stop an activity); 'give up on' specifically requires an object and focuses on the loss of faith or hope in that object.
Pitfall
He gave up on to learn piano.
He gave up on learning piano.
the preposition 'on' must be followed by a gerund (-ing) rather than an infinitive.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
give + up + on + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/give-up-on