trump

[ truhmp ]

/ trʌmp /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for trump on Thesaurus.com

noun

Cards.

any playing card of a suit that for the time outranks the other suits, such a card being able to take any card of another suit.
Often trumps .(used with a singular verb) the suit itself.

Informal: Older Use. a fine, admirable person.

verb (used with object)

Cards. to take with a trump.

to excel; surpass; outdo.

verb (used without object)

Cards.

to play a trump.
to take a trick with a trump.

Verb Phrases

trump up, to devise deceitfully or dishonestly, as an accusation; fabricate: Try as they might, they were unable to trump up a convincing case against him.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of trump

First recorded in 1520–30; unexplained variant of triumph

OTHER WORDS FROM trump

trumpless, adjective

Other definitions for trump (2 of 3)

trump²

[ truhmp ]

/ trʌmp /

Literary.

noun

a trumpet.

the sound of a trumpet.

verb (used without object)

to blow a trumpet.

Origin of trump

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun tromp(e), troump, from Old French tromp(e), tronpe; probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German trumpa, Old Norse trumba “trumpet”

Other definitions for trump (3 of 3)

Trump

[ truhmp ]

/ trʌmp /

noun

Donald J(ohn), born 1946, 45th president of the United States 2017–21.

Me·la·ni·a

[muh-lah-nee-uh] /məˈlɑ ni ə/ Melanija Knavs, born 1970, U.S. First Lady 2017–21 (wife of Donald J. Trump).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use trump in a sentence

The “Joe” to whom Trump was referring was, of course, former vice president Joe Biden, Trump’s opponent in November’s presidential election.
In 160 words, Trump reveals how little he cares about the pandemic|Philip Bump|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The Trump campaign’s television spending is scheduled to increase again next week, rising to about $21 million.
Trump and his campaign try to allay concerns about trailing Biden in television ads|Michael Scherer, Josh Dawsey|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
In Scotland, Trump’s Turnberry resort once charged the Secret Service $1,300 to move furniture, according to a receipt from July 2018 that was released by the government this year.
Trump’s businesses charged Secret Service more than $1.1 million, including for rooms in club shuttered for pandemic|David Fahrenthold, Josh Dawsey|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Barr, of course, has repeatedly otherwise leveraged the weight of the department in Trump’s favor.
William Barr is the poster child for politicized law enforcement officials|Philip Bump|September 17, 2020|Washington Post

During an appearance Wednesday on Fox News, McEnany said Trump had been very clear.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump|Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
We need to separate trumped-up fears from the legitimate ones.
Ebola, ISIS, the Border: So Much to Fear, So Little Time!|Gene Robinson|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The depositions of other officers suggested that the “property damage” charges were not just bizarre, but trumped up.
The Day Ferguson Cops Were Caught in a Bloody Lie|Michael Daly|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even before the gang thing, though, reputation trumped truth in many places.
A Report From the Misunderstood Gathering of the Juggalos|Steve Miller|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The answer was to ensure that individual liberty was not trumped by religion or government or corporations.
The Supreme Court Turns the First Amendment Into a Weapon for Corporations|Sally Kohn|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Three Al Jazeera journalists have been jailed in Egypt on trumped-up charges of collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Outrage After Egypt Jails Journalists: ‘This Is a Crime Against the Media as a Whole,’ Says Al Jazeera Chief|Lloyd Grove|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But he failed to impose upon the Colonel, and was even far from impressing him with this trumped-up knowledge of bygone days.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
"It is a cowardly pretext on the part of the citizens, trumped up to save their property for the Yankees," said he.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
Robber raids they called these wars which he waged for trumped-up pretexts.
A German Pompadour|Marie Hay
With the connivance of a corrupt police force, Tim can even ruin him on a trumped-up charge.
The Old World in the New|Edward Alsworth Ross
Then she began to ask herself if he had spoken the truth, or had trumped up this story to frighten her?
File No. 113|Emile Gaboriau

British Dictionary definitions for trump (1 of 2)

trump¹

/ (trʌmp) /

noun

Also called: trump card

any card from the suit chosen as trumps
this suit itself; trumps

Also called: trump card a decisive or advantageous move, resource, action, etc

informal a fine or reliable person

verb

to play a trump card on (a suit, or a particular card of a suit, that is not trumps)

(tr) to outdo or surpass

Derived forms of trump

trumpless, adjective

Word Origin for trump

C16: variant of triumph

British Dictionary definitions for trump (2 of 2)

trump²

/ (trʌmp) archaic, or literary /

noun

a trumpet or the sound produced by one

the last trump the final trumpet call that according to the belief of some will awaken and raise the dead on the Day of Judgment

verb

(intr) to produce a sound upon or as if upon the trumpet

(tr) to proclaim or announce with or as if with a fanfare

(intr) British slang to expel intestinal gas through the anus

Word Origin for trump

C13: from Old French trompe, from Old High German trumpa trumpet; compare trombone

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with trump

trump

In addition to the idioms beginning with trump

trump card
trump up

also see:

hold all the aces (trumps)
turn up trumps

trump

Origin of trump

OTHER WORDS FROM trump

Other definitions for trump (2 of 3)

Origin of trump

Other definitions for trump (3 of 3)

Words related to trump

How to use trump in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trump (1 of 2)

Derived forms of trump

Word Origin for trump

British Dictionary definitions for trump (2 of 2)

Word Origin for trump

Other Idioms and Phrases with trump