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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trump up
Verb
-
The firm specializes in new construction projects, working closely with the architect and contractors to devise a cohesive, timeless design.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2026
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The models can also devise fake documents, like passports, Lestrange said.—
Ayana Archie,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The heels were constructed from a lustrous satin material on the upper and featured a pointed toe design.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Bonds are used to fund brick-and-mortar projects, which include constructing, equipping, maintaining and furnishing district facilities.—
Kendrick Calfee
February 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 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
-
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
Verb
-
Let’s rephrase that, if only because 100 years ago, nobody had remembered to invent the Hall of Fame yet.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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Mariano’s - La Hacienda Ranch Famous for its high-quality beef fajitas, this restaurant is renowned for being the place where the frozen margarita machine was invented.—
Imelda García,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chalamet was vital in drumming up the momentum for the original film, which remained a theatrical draw due to rave reviews and stellar word of mouth.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2026
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That wasn’t the only time Codding pushed personal boundaries to drum up interest in the abolitionist movement.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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