given
Americanverb
adjective
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stated, fixed, or specified.
at a given time.
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addicted or disposed (often followed byto ).
given to making snide remarks.
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bestowed as a gift; conferred.
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assigned as a basis of calculation, reasoning, etc..
Given A and B, C follows.
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Mathematics. known or independently determined.
a given magnitude.
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(on official documents) executed and delivered as of the date shown.
noun
verb
adjective
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tending (to); inclined or addicted (to)
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specific or previously stated
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assumed as a premise
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maths known or determined independently
a given volume
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(on official documents) issued or executed, as on a stated date
noun
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an assumed fact
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philosophy the supposed raw data of experience See also sense datum
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of given
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Explanation
A given is some detail or fact that is known to be true. Your mother might say, "It's a given that I'll always love you, no matter how annoying you are." Something's a given if it's an established situation that you're sure of. It's a given that a first class airplane ticket will cost a lot more than a seat in coach, and it's also a given that the earth orbits the sun. It can also be an adjective: "After considering the given facts, mark an answer on the multiple-choice test." Given comes from the verb give, which has an Old English root of giefan, "to bestow, allot, or commit."
Vocabulary lists containing given
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bankman-Fried was given a 25-year sentence after he was convicted of multiple federal charges related to FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange that he founded and led, and its related company Alameda Research.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
“We likely see enough progress to keep the foundry alive, with a clear ability to beat-and-raise near term given server CPU shortages.”
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
That wasn’t a major surprise given that investors had already been pricing in the update’s success.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Some of the dead-on precision of Nilles’ attack was lost by out-of-sync video screens, an annoying glitch that needs attention given her monster performance.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
That it’s to be expected, given that he’s their contractor.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.