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
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
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
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
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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More than 50 years passed before Kansas City artist and sculptor Dale Eldred in 1990 devised a workable design.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
21 Oct. 2025
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Ultimately, the researchers believe the hottest engine ever devised will help the scientific community better understand thermodynamics.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Begging or drunkenness could mean a week to a couple of months on a chain gang, grading and paving roads, fixing bridges, hauling debris, and otherwise helping to construct the fast-growing city.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Some may be constructed from lighter aluminum for more even heating, while darker pans may conduct heat more slowly.—
Molly Allen,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, so when Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) arrives with dastardly intentions, Hero (Corrin), Cherry’s wily and loyal maid, is forced to concoct a plan to distract Manfred by telling captivating stories about rebellious women.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Oct. 2025
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In the new Indonesian horror flick The Elixir, a new herbal potion concocted by a traditional medicine doctor accidentally wakes the dead, and now all Hell is breaking loose.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There’s no manual on how to invent forgeries.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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Rendezvous recently secured $3 million in pre-seed funding to commercialize the technology invented while Ekblaw was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The director continues to drum up the suspense when, after a Hollywood-style car chase that’s perfectly executed, the clan arrives at Iman’s childhood home in the mountains, where things definitely take a turn into thriller territory and several guns come back into play.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Still more protesters will be there to drum up support for Proposition 50, the ballot measure that could reshape the state’s congressional map and deliver up to five new Democratic seats in the US House.—
Katie Lauer,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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