trump

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
a
: a card of a suit any of whose cards will win over a card that is not of this suit

called also trump card

b
: the suit whose cards are trumps for a particular hand
often used in plural
2
: a decisive overriding factor or final resource

called also trump card

3
: a dependable and exemplary person

trump

2 of 3

verb

trumped; trumping; trumps

transitive verb

1
: to get the better of : override
where ambition invariably trumps loyaltyMichael Kramer
2
: to play a trump on (a card or trick) when another suit was led

intransitive verb

: to play a trump when another suit was led

trump

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
b
chiefly Scotland : jew's harp
2
: a sound of or as if of trumpeting
the trump of doom

Examples of trump in a Sentence

Verb She trumped my ace to win the trick. Their offer for the house was trumped by a higher bid. The need for blood donors trumps all other concerns.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
In an era where the online identity of a business trumps everything else, organizations are realizing that premium domains now are a part of strategic investments. Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 Late-season success during the 10-race playoffs often trumps season-long consistency. Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025 The Navy has repeatedly and broadly invoked the federal Privacy Act as a reason to withhold military court records, a law ProPublica argues does not apply because the act does not trump the First Amendment or permit blanket sealing of court records. Ziva Branstetter, ProPublica, 29 Jan. 2025 Over the past six games, though, Sarr has been shooting 50% from the field, and the 1.6 blocks per game on the season trumps the 0.8 from JV. Stan Son, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trump

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

alteration of triumph entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English trompe, from Anglo-French trumpe, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German trumba, trumpa trumpet

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1586, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of trump was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Trump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trump. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

trump

1 of 2 noun
1
: a card of a suit any of whose cards will win over a card that is of a different suit
also : the suit whose cards are trumps for a particular hand
often used in plural
2

trump

2 of 2 verb
1
: to take with a trump
trump another player's card
2
: to play a trump
3
: to get the better of : outdo
trumped her competitors

Biographical Definition

Trump

biographical name

Donald J(ohn) 1946–     American businessman and politician; 45th and 47th president of the U.S. (2017–21; 2025- )

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