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
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
The Pennsylvania native was sentenced to 14 years on a drug smuggling charge that his family has said was trumped up, and the U.S. had called for his humanitarian release.
—Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2025
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
The Pennsylvania native was sentenced to 14 years on a drug smuggling charge that his family has said was trumped up, and the U.S. had called for his humanitarian release.
—Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trump up
Verb
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The next step typically undertaken is to employ a make-or-break test when aiming to devise a generalizable model.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Use them to devise your own words of inspiration for life's bigger moments — and smaller ones too.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The design of the bag is constructed in a maze-like pattern, and the bottom is wide, so there’s more room to pack your items next to each other instead of on top of one another.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The preview also shows West concocting his Sunday Service before delving down his own rabbit hole.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
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However, when he is left near death due to a plot concocted by his former friend Mal, the two are thrown back into each other’s orbit, according to a synopsis of the book.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Bud Billiken, the page’s fictional editor/mascot described as the guardian and protector of children, was invented by Abbott and the Defender’s executive editor, Lucius Harper.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
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In the 1920s, a Soviet aviation group invented their own sort of superhero: Egor Poddevkin, the dashing pilot.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Bruce Springsteen’s 2025 has been filled with exciting moments — from continuing his global tour to drumming up headlines with rebukes made toward President Trump – and new music.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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The tie-up comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. soccer as fans look ahead to the 2026 World Cup, which takes place next summer in North America and is expected to drum up new U.S. fans for the global sport.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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