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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of trump up
The crimes with which she has been charged are trumped up and her arrest is a cynical ploy by the junta headed by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to cling onto power.
—
Kim Aris, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
She was elected to the country's National Assembly in 2010, only to be expelled four years later on allegations her supporters said were trumped up.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
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
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
Kim Aris, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
She was elected to the country's National Assembly in 2010, only to be expelled four years later on allegations her supporters said were trumped up.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trump up
Verb
-
No matter when or how many times the Eagles run the tush push at Lambeau Field, the Packers must devise a way to do what at times seems impossible because of one, how good the Eagles are at it, and two, how the play is officiated.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The project is part of NASA’s SIMPLEx, or Small, Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration, program, which aims to spur researchers and companies to devise ways to use small spacecraft to carry out science investigations for pennies on the dollar.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Her cylinder chignon stuck out at Kris Jenner’s 0070 party, constructed, once again, by Appleton.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Bedecking the old fish-out-of-water story formula in holiday garb and tinseling it with some apt moral messages for this dysfunctional age, screenwriters Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick have concocted a satisfyingly new-fangled Christmas yarn.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The menu at Otaleg is constantly evolving, as Radicioni experiments with new combinations in his gelato laboratory, often concocting head-turning flavors based on his favorite savory dishes.—
Nina Ruggiero,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Putnam raised the example of how, during the previous upswing, organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were invented just a few years apart, because people recognized that young people needed mentors.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
James Cameron continues to invent new technology to make films, and that does not end with the third installment of the Avatar saga.—
Fred Topel,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
How travelers benefit from induced demand For travelers in markets where new airlines enter, there’s an early honeymoon period during which the carrier attempts to drum up business with promotions and low fares.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
-
That does get harder on some accounts trying to drum up engagement with fake videos — also known as ragebait — whic delete any comments trying to suss out AI.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share