as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
parents who were always trumping up little projects for their children to do around the house
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Recent Examples of trump up
Although the woman-alien’s powers were trumped up to comedic effect, Estelle could not help but see that beneath its B-movie veneer, Devil Girl from Mars tapped into a looming anxiety that was palpable all around.
—
Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
His defense team and supporters say the secondment was all aboveboard and ordered by his superiors, and that the allegations are trumped up and political.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 July 2025
Activist groups say the charges against him were trumped up.
—Gabe Levin, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
Yes, his relationship with alcohol seems to be not great and complicated, but these charges still seem trumped up to me.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 June 2025
In their response, Petrova’s attorneys accused the government of trumping up criminal charges in a bid to prevent her bail and motions from being heard in federal court.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
And, while the charges were most likely trumped up, the city’s leaders were correct about one thing: Young people are highly suggestible.
—Patricia Schultheis, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2025
The work was banned by the Malian Ministry of Culture and Cissé was arrested and jailed on trumped up charges of accepting French funding.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Human rights groups and some Western countries have accused Iran of trying to win concessions from other nations through arrests on security charges that may have been trumped up.
—Fox News, 19 Feb. 2025
Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
His defense team and supporters say the secondment was all aboveboard and ordered by his superiors, and that the allegations are trumped up and political.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 July 2025
Activist groups say the charges against him were trumped up.
—Gabe Levin, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025
Yes, his relationship with alcohol seems to be not great and complicated, but these charges still seem trumped up to me.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 11 June 2025
In their response, Petrova’s attorneys accused the government of trumping up criminal charges in a bid to prevent her bail and motions from being heard in federal court.
—Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 28 May 2025
And, while the charges were most likely trumped up, the city’s leaders were correct about one thing: Young people are highly suggestible.
—Patricia Schultheis, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2025
The work was banned by the Malian Ministry of Culture and Cissé was arrested and jailed on trumped up charges of accepting French funding.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025
Human rights groups and some Western countries have accused Iran of trying to win concessions from other nations through arrests on security charges that may have been trumped up.
—Fox News, 19 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trump up
Verb
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The two quickly built a rapport, and Preservation began sending ‘Nandez beats, eventually inviting him to New Orleans to hang out while devising the project’s sonic core and predominant themes.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
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Prior to Leucippus, earlier scientist-philosophers had devised the concepts of elements as components of reality, and often looked to one component in particular as being the fundamental originator — or arche (ἀρχή) — of all the others.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The all-in-one jumpsuit is well-constructed and comfortable to wear for hours of play.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Joomra Trail Running Barefoot Shoes A tenet of barefoot shoes is that they are constructed with a wide toe box.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors described Sanaa Cunningham’s death as the result of a murder plot concocted by her father and stepmother, Germayne and Lisa Cunningham, following months of abuse and neglect.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Swartz concocted this massive blockbuster trade idea, which sends Brown to his hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Did Sir Hans Sloane really invent chocolate milk?—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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Not to mention it's said to be the birthplace of the tequila sunrise, invented by bartender Gene Sulit in the 1930s.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To many experts’ alarm, ACIP discussions are widely expected to drum up concern surrounding rare adverse incidents reported in children after vaccination, including unvetted reports of 25 childhood deaths.—
Andrea Tamayo,
Scientific American,
18 Sep. 2025
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These are not fantasies drummed up by the Left despite claims from Paxton and his most ardent supporters.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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