as in devising
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
anyone who drums up a better way of doing this tedious task will make a fortune
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Recent Examples of drumming up
While the Indiana University football team prepares for Monday's College Football Playoff national championship game, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is drumming up support this weekend on social media.
—
Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 17 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the only thing capable of drumming up a Bardian level of attention would be for a famous person—probably Julia Fox—walking the red carpet in nothing but a pair of Pleasers.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
The goal is drumming up awareness and building excitement before a film expands its theatrical footprint.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025
Intel, the once-dominant chipmaker, is in a fight for its life that requires it to aggressively move into leading-edge chips, including those optimized for AI, while drumming up the funding to float that expensive transition.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, as China faces its own challenges at home, where the ruling Communist Party is grappling with a slowing economy and persistent unemployment, some observers wonder whether drumming up nationalism as a distraction strategy could push China into an even more aggressive stance.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
The goal is drumming up buzz for the world premiere of her feminist crime thriller Nika & Madison on Sunday night.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
To protest it, a contingent of more than fifty Democrats in the Texas House had fled the state, delaying the vote and drumming up national interest.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The Times says Boulous began drumming up deals soon after proposing to Trump in the White House Rose Garden back in January 2021.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 17 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the only thing capable of drumming up a Bardian level of attention would be for a famous person—probably Julia Fox—walking the red carpet in nothing but a pair of Pleasers.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 28 Dec. 2025
The goal is drumming up awareness and building excitement before a film expands its theatrical footprint.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 21 Dec. 2025
Intel, the once-dominant chipmaker, is in a fight for its life that requires it to aggressively move into leading-edge chips, including those optimized for AI, while drumming up the funding to float that expensive transition.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, as China faces its own challenges at home, where the ruling Communist Party is grappling with a slowing economy and persistent unemployment, some observers wonder whether drumming up nationalism as a distraction strategy could push China into an even more aggressive stance.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
The goal is drumming up buzz for the world premiere of her feminist crime thriller Nika & Madison on Sunday night.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
To protest it, a contingent of more than fifty Democrats in the Texas House had fled the state, delaying the vote and drumming up national interest.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The Times says Boulous began drumming up deals soon after proposing to Trump in the White House Rose Garden back in January 2021.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drumming up
Verb
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The Panthers spent most of Saturday’s game (as well as their previous matchup with the Rams) devising ways to get McMillan and Coker running down the field against those small corners.—
Derrik Klassen,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both activities can be fairly ordinary hobbies—games of imagination not so different from crushing on a pop star or concocting stories about a film protagonist.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
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Later in the episode, Kody took aim at Janelle, accusing her once again of concocting a plan to try and sell Coyote Pass out from under Meri.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When researchers abruptly changed the shape or layout of the tank, the previously active neural ensemble quieted down within minutes, while a new configuration of neurons rapidly took over—constructing an entirely new spatial map.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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The TikTok tradeoff is dynamic scanning, selecting, and constructing in return for patience, credulity, and willingness to follow direction.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Created by Terry Nation, the man credited with inventing the Daleks, Blake’s 7 aired for four seasons on the BBC from 1978 to 1981.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
19 Jan. 2026
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If your brain immediately starts inventing imaginary future scenarios, that’s often your sign the item has already served its purpose.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drumming up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drumming%20up. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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