drum up
Britishverb
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Bring about by persistent effort, as in I'm trying to drum up more customers , or We have to drum up support for this amendment . This expression alludes to making repeated drumbeats. [Mid-1800s]
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Devise, invent, obtain, as in He hoped to drum up an alibi . [Mid-1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In an apparent attempt to drum up excitement ahead of Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons’ social media platforms unveiled a new profile pic that featured elements from the team’s throwback helmet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Hyperscalers are still searching for the right tone to drum up support.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
This week in the Don’t Short Yourself newsletter, Genna Contino described Kalshi’s attempt to drum up interest in betting on who will win “Dancing with the Stars.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
"Avengers: Endgame" dusted competitors in the North American weekend box office, as the 2019 super hero film was re-released in a bid to drum up support for the franchise.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
His lawyer claimed the police were harassing people in the neighborhood, trying to drum up shaky evidence and confessions.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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