as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
political spin doctors who can vamp up a justification for just about anything
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vamp (up)
Verb
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For instance, in 2020, Hendon’s lab helped devise a mathematical model for brewing the perfect cup of espresso, over and over, while minimizing waste.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026 -
The Oak Park community united earlier this month to devise a plan to address public health in the absence of the hospital.—
Cam'ron Hardy,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Scientific papers are filled with acronyms — some little more than strings of letters, others carefully constructed to form recognizable words, like GANDALF (Gas AND Absorption Line Fitting) and MIAOW (Minimum Inertia Adaptive Optics Widget).—
Clarissa Brincat,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
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Our everyday lives present unlimited opportunities to construct justice and liberation in our food system and otherwise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The tank weighing down the back of Kyle Nicolson’s truck holds a mixture of water, nutrients and fertilizer concocted through years of tinkering, first by his grandfather, then his dad, his uncle and his cousins.—
Jonathan Bullington,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Authorities believe Simko met one of the suspects at a cannabis festival in Ann Arbor, where the suspects reportedly concocted a plan to set up a fake business deal and steal what officials said was upwards of 50 pounds of marijuana.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Major motion pictures partnering with brands to promote movies is the norm now, a practice that has evolved as quickly as technology has since the iPhone was invented in 2007, which can sometimes feel like an attack on your nervous system.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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The city doesn’t need to invent a solution.—
Louis Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And while twenty years is a long time to wait for a sequel in franchise-mad Hollywood, the relative break between films has mostly served to drum up anticipation above all else.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
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Papadimitriou noted that the whole shipping industry is trying to drum up exports from alternative regions to keep oil moving and, crucially, to stay employed.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Vamp (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vamp%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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