trumped-up

American  

[truhmpt-uhp] / ˈtrʌmptˈʌp /

adjective

1. spuriously devised; fraudulent; fabricated.

   He was arrested on some trumped-up charge.

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Etymology

Origin of trumped-up

1720–30; special use of trump ¹; see -ed ²

Explanation

Something that's trumped-up is faked or fabricated to use as an excuse. You might be tempted to tell your parents a trumped-up story about a mean math teacher to explain a bad grade. When you hear about someone being arrested on "trumped-up charges," that means that they've been falsely accused. There's a sense of exaggeration in this term, as well—if your excuse for being late is trumped-up, you're concocting extra details to make it sound more impressive. Trumped-up was first recorded in the early 18th century, and it comes from the idiomatic trump up, "devise deceitfully or dishonestly."

Example Sentences

But I am frustrated as a medical doctor that a complex issue like fertility—and the trumped-up threat of small penises and “population collapse”—was hijacked without scientific merit as the main argument against plastic.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

Mr. Lai has been in prison on trumped-up charges ever since.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

Instead, they were arrested on trumped-up obscenity charges and subjected to expensive litigation before the case against them was thrown out for lack of evidence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

He had been jailed for three years on trumped-up charges.

From BBC • Feb. 29, 2024

My ancestor's desire to join them led to trumped-up murder charges for which he was executed—or, anyway, that’s what my grandfather told me.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann