trump up

verb

trumped up; trumping up; trumps up

transitive verb

1

: to concoct especially with intent to deceive : fabricate, invent

They trumped up an excuse to fire me.

2

archaic : to cite as support for an action or claim

Synonyms of trump up

• devise
• construct
• concoct
• invent
• come up with
• drum up
• think (up)

Examples of trump up in a Sentence

parents who were always trumping up little projects for their children to do around the house

Recent Examples on the Web

Bass insisted the charges were trumped up. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026

But in a statement issued by his attorney, Maluchnik denies all of that, saying the charges have been trumped up. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026

The funding that currently pays state law enforcement overtime to trump up charges against those suspected. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026

Because of the differences they are labeled as evil, incompetent, corrupt or some other trumped up charge such as antisemitic. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for trump up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup