Gave up vs Dropped out

Both 'gave up' and 'dropped out' are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. 'Gave up' is used when someone stops trying to do something, while 'dropped out' is used when someone leaves a course, school, or activity before it is finished.

Last updated: March 25, 2024 • 816 views

The phrase 'gave up' is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that someone has stopped trying to do something.

"Gave up"

This phrase is used when someone decides to quit or stop trying to achieve something. It implies a sense of surrender or defeat.

Examples:

After failing the test multiple times, he gave up on becoming a doctor.
She gave up smoking for her health.
Don't give up on your dreams, keep working towards them.
He gave up his seat on the bus to the elderly lady.
I gave up trying to convince him to change his mind.

Show examples from the web [+]

We gave up looking for it years ago.
You gave up that right long ago.
But not one of you gave up.
No, his dream gave up on him.
Gave up on him after a few weeks.
Now rumors abounds that more than ovidius Gave up their lives.
Gave up... 26 hits in a single game.
Gave up his ledger. 20 years of payoffs...
Gave up his whole plan... weapon cache, location, everything.
Gave up his old life, his friends.
Gave up a brilliant future in medicine as well.
Gave up trying to reach you on the radio.
Gave up his coin and left.
Gave up my lease and everything.
Gave up on fixing the flawed DRNs.
Gave up on that "proving your loyalty" thing pretty quickly.
Gave up the location of our Chinese guns.
Gave up his acting career to become my assistant.
Word has it s. Gave up politics to focus on issues Closer to her heart.
Used to. Gave up when the bird got bumped.

Alternatives:

quit
surrendered
abandoned
ceased
relinquished

The phrase 'dropped out' is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that someone has left a course, school, or activity before it is finished.

"Dropped out"

This phrase is used when someone withdraws from a course, school, or activity before completing it. It implies a voluntary decision to leave.

Examples:

She dropped out of college to pursue her passion for music.
He dropped out of the race due to an injury.
Many students drop out of school due to financial reasons.
He dropped out of the project halfway through.
The singer dropped out of the concert at the last minute.

Show examples from the web [+]

Maybe because I dropped out of girl scouts years ago.
I also dropped out of bartending school.
Dropped out of school and everything.
Dropped out, went into real estate, market tanked, so now he's a pot agent.
We dropped out of ftl because someone was gating in.
It appears we have dropped out of FTL into empty space.
Trained as a computer engineer, Dropped out of mit after his freshman year.
He dropped out of the group last spring.
Janette dropped out to focus on school, imagine that.
I keep forgetting you dropped out of college.
She dropped out of high school to make millions of dollars.
He dropped out right before the school went co-ed.
Mom went a little off the rails. I dropped out to help.
You dropped out of high school without telling us too.
But you dropped out of pharmacy school after two years.
Dropped out of Juilliard after less than a year.
Dropped out sophomore year and he's been in that bookstore ever since.
Dropped out in the last year of her residency.
Dropped out of med school two years ago.
There's got to be a reason you and those crows Dropped out of the sky.

Alternatives:

withdrew from
left
abandoned
quit
ceased

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Gave up vs Dropped out

"Gave up"

"Dropped out"

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