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
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
The Pennsylvania native was sentenced to 14 years on a drug smuggling charge that his family has said was trumped up, and the U.S. had called for his humanitarian release.
—Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2025
In the stage show, set in Argentina in 1983, political prisoner Valentín Arregui is transferred to a cell already occupied by Luis Molina, a gay window dresser convicted on trumped up charges of public indecency.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, a growing number of Russian citizens has been arrested on trumped up charges and later accused of crimes, such as treason, that would justify a more serious sentence.
—Francesca Mastruzzo (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 14 Jan. 2024
Some of those on sent to the island, had been arrested on trumped up charges, or false accusations aimed at settling old scores, while the prison population also included hardened criminals.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024
In announcing the pardon, the president essentially claimed—without acknowledging the irony in his words—that the charges against this son were somehow trumped up by his own Justice Department.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Whelan had been held for more than five years by Russian authorities on what his family and the U.S. government insisted were trumped up charges of espionage.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2024
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
The Pennsylvania native was sentenced to 14 years on a drug smuggling charge that his family has said was trumped up, and the U.S. had called for his humanitarian release.
—Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2025
In the stage show, set in Argentina in 1983, political prisoner Valentín Arregui is transferred to a cell already occupied by Luis Molina, a gay window dresser convicted on trumped up charges of public indecency.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, a growing number of Russian citizens has been arrested on trumped up charges and later accused of crimes, such as treason, that would justify a more serious sentence.
—Francesca Mastruzzo (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 14 Jan. 2024
Some of those on sent to the island, had been arrested on trumped up charges, or false accusations aimed at settling old scores, while the prison population also included hardened criminals.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024
In announcing the pardon, the president essentially claimed—without acknowledging the irony in his words—that the charges against this son were somehow trumped up by his own Justice Department.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Whelan had been held for more than five years by Russian authorities on what his family and the U.S. government insisted were trumped up charges of espionage.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trump up
Verb
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To make this work, Dykstra devised a way to combine a film camera with a computer, enabling each ship-miniature movement to be repeated precisely over multiple runs, at different angles: a system known as motion control.—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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With the annual awards show slated to stream live on Hulu for the first time, alongside its regular broadcast on ABC, Disney devised packages that took sponsorships well beyond the program itself.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Originally constructed in the 1400s, the current church was rebuilt in 1757 after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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The structure was constructed for fabric distributor Eisen Mercantile, also known as House of Fabrics, and completed in 1970, according to the Johnson County property records.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Taking this idea and combining it with an attention to convenience and versatility while cooking, Heinz concocted three new products ready to be devoured.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2025
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Matthew Rankin, a Canadian historian and prankster, has concocted a starkly enchanting Winnipeg where Farsi is the main language of storefronts, guided tours and everyday grievances, like the woman who gripes about sharing a bus with a live turkey.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Read: How Bong Joon Ho invented the weird world of Parasite Not much of Mickey 17 makes sense at first blush.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2025
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Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters is why Dr. Heimlich invented his maneuver, no argument there.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Rogan’s special drummed up 8,300,000 hours viewed, with Bargatze’s securing 7,900,000.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2025
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This year’s Image Awards ceremony also drummed up support for the Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Pasadena communities affected by the wildfires that hit Los Angeles in January.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Trump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trump%20up. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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