drum up

verb

drummed up; drumming up; drums up
Synonyms of drum upnext

transitive verb

1
: to bring about by persistent effort
drum up some business
2
: invent, originate
drum up a new method

Examples of drum up in a Sentence

anyone who drums up a better way of doing this tedious task will make a fortune
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters. Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 The outbreak was largely fueled by a swell of vaccine hesitancy, drummed up by anti-vaccine activists. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 There are nonprofits, like RescueMeATL, that connect shelters to photographers and content creators to help drum up adoption excitement. Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026 From petition to lawsuit to election In order to drum up support for the recall, First District residents worked together to hold daily petition drives throughout the month of May. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drum up

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drum up was in 1824

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drum up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drum%20up. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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