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
Pre-seeding While EMV levels may cool off quickly in the months following a launch, brands are increasingly drumming up pre-launch interest by teasing newness and seeding products to creators, in some cases, months in advance.
—
Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026
Chalamet was vital in drumming up the momentum for the original film, which remained a theatrical draw due to rave reviews and stellar word of mouth.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
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
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
Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 2026
Chalamet was vital in drumming up the momentum for the original film, which remained a theatrical draw due to rave reviews and stellar word of mouth.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drumming up
Verb
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Last week, the council voted 9–6 to direct the city manager to study moving its emergency operations, dispatch and service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the aging building, staying there and relocating.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
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While Green gave him instant advice, Kerr was devising ways to get Porzingis involved.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture?—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Worse than constructing a Frankenstein’s Monster of mismatched compliance regulations, HB-1054 expands private litigation in a way that is tailor-made for abuse.—
Chris Richardson,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
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Iran has spent decades constructing underground bunkers for a range of purposes and contingencies.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While both Iowa and Indiana claim bragging rights for inventing the sandwich, the exact origin remains as delightfully fuzzy as a diner countertop debate.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
4 Mar. 2026
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Cole Winn, a one-time failed starter who is re-inventing his life as a reliever, cruises through the sixth.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drumming up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drumming%20up. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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