as in invented
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as in devised
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 trumped-up
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 22 Nov. 2023
Erdogan’s government has thrown (or attempted to throw) a number of key political opponents into jail on what critics say are trumped-up, spurious charges.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 10 May 2023
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
He was forced to flee the country in the months following the election, due to trumped up conspiracy and terrorism charges presented by the government that would have led to decades in prison.
—Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
The charge was clearly trumped-up, but Yundi was immediately taken off all Chinese stages and media and prevented from going abroad.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 22 Nov. 2023
Erdogan’s government has thrown (or attempted to throw) a number of key political opponents into jail on what critics say are trumped-up, spurious charges.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 10 May 2023
Verb
Bass insisted the charges were trumped up.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
He was forced to flee the country in the months following the election, due to trumped up conspiracy and terrorism charges presented by the government that would have led to decades in prison.
—Flora Charner, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trumped-up
Verb
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The show features 52 images from the museum’s collection dating from 1860 to 1940, all of which were devised using collage or montage.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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So that problematic defense has come around, thanks to whatever Mike Brown, his coaching staff and the players have devised or re-emphasized together.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Right-handers Chase Dollander, Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon, McCade Brown and Gabriel Hughes (who has yet to make his big-league debut) are still relatively raw and unproven.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2026
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As currently constructed, this lineup is top-heavy, lefty-leaning and overly reliant on young players who are unproven, injury-prone or both.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Paul Simon, who was headed to retirement amid debilitating hearing loss, has concocted a helpful new stage monitor setup that has him back on the road.—
BRIAN MCCOLLUM,
Freep.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Galen concocted medicines that seem strange to modern ears, such as treating ailments like inflammation with feces sprinkled with thyme to mask the odor.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some defendants are also accused of conspiring to bribe a civilian contractor to create fraudulent military IDs for base access.—
Steve Patterson,
Florida Times-Union,
5 Feb. 2026
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Rivers used her professional connection with Event Décor Direct in Deerfield Beach to take money from the event decoration business over a three-month period in 2025, in part by making dozens of fraudulent transactions and credit card purchases, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While it was made in the ‘90s, the collection (which showed slip dresses, shirts with undulating ruffles, and jacquard silk jackets constructed to look permanently burst-open) was inspired by the romance between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Originally constructed in 1952, the property was designated a historic and cultural landmark in 2024.—
Nick Wooten,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That story was 100 percent insane and made-up, and not a word of it is true.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
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Vietnam had an imaginary Gulf of Tonkin attack; Trump has made-up drug cartels.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Conservatives learned to play the game that progressive activists invented.—
Alessandro Piazza,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
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From heating food quickly to baking delicious cakes, the microwave oven is used for a constructive purpose by millions today, far from the destructive intentions for which its technology was invented.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.—
Hope Moses,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
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In the dry California hills, an intentional community tries to build a pyre for one of its own, and, in the complex and mendacious aftermath, may end up sort of burning down the nation-state.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trumped-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trumped-up. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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