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Synonyms

frame-up

American  
[freym-uhp] / ˈfreɪmˌʌp /

noun

Informal.
  1. a fraudulent incrimination of an innocent person.


frame-up British  

noun

  1. a conspiracy to incriminate someone on a false charge

  2. a plot to bring about a dishonest result, as in a contest

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of frame-up

1895–1900, frame + up, modeled on nominalizations of phrasal verbs, with up as perfective particle

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.

See Examples For:

"The police were highly selective in the way they collected evidence. In my opinion, Omar was framed. This was a quite elaborate frame-up," he said.

From BBC Feb. 16, 2026

“It sounds as though the frame-up of Mr. Gershkovich was the same as it was in Paul’s case.”

From Seattle Times Mar. 30, 2023

To the Moody Park Three’s supporters, it was a frame-up.

From New York Times Dec. 4, 2019

Golunov was arrested in a clumsy frame-up after his exposés of corruption among the Moscow elite made him too many enemies.

From The Guardian Jun. 20, 2019

What Edwards had said of the cold, contemptuous old man; what Vandeman told of the screaming girl; no answer to such a proposition of course but an attempted frame-up.

From The Million-Dollar Suitcase by Alice MacGowan

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