giveaway

American

[giv-uh-wey] / ˈgɪv əˌweɪ /

noun

an act or instance of giving something away.
something that is given away, especially as a gift or premium.

A pocket calculator was offered as a giveaway with every new subscription to the magazine.
a radio or television program on which prizes are given away to contestants in a question-and-answer game.
a tax law or other legislation designed to benefit one segment of the population, one area or state, etc..

a giveaway that benefited only the very rich.
an unscrupulous deal, especially one that benefits some while defrauding others.
Sports. any careless loss of possession of a ball, puck, etc., or other offensive lapse that leads to a score by the opponent.

adjective

constituting a giveaway.

a giveaway newspaper.

Etymology

Origin of giveaway

1870–75, noun use of verb phrase give away

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.

Solis spoke to several of the people who attended the giveaway and said some are choosing between putting gas in their car and food on their table.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

When a notification popped up on Jordan Phillips' phone telling him he had won an online giveaway, he was thrilled to be the owner of a new coffee machine.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

The result: $1 product promotions and a recent McNuggets-and-caviar giveaway tied to Valentine’s Day that had all of the hallmarks of a company trying to grab social-media influencers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The giveaway: Two photos of the table showed noticeably different digital cracks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

My voice cracks at the end, which is a total giveaway.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023