drum up

verb

drummed up; drumming up; drums up

transitive verb

1

: to bring about by persistent effort

drum up some business

2

: invent, originate

drum up a new method

Synonyms of drum up

• devise
• construct
• concoct
• invent

Examples of drum up in a Sentence

anyone who drums up a better way of doing this tedious task will make a fortune

Recent Examples on the Web

The new podcast category drummed up minor controversy with the revelation that Luminate would narrow down the list of eligible podcasts to 25. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026

Natalie Burk drummed up 19 points to get Salem (12-7) to the finals of the Kell Classic in Swifton. —Erick Taylor, Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026

Concessions — popcorn, soda and specialty food — have become the means for these businesses to drum up enough funds to cover expenses. —Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2026

This ongoing partnership, which grants content creators early access to Paramount’s upcoming releases and library titles, is designed to drum up conversation about movies playing in theaters. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for drum up

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