frame-up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, journalistic, legal/crime drama
Quick answer
What does “frame-up” mean?
A deceptive arrangement of evidence or circumstances to make an innocent person appear guilty of a crime.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A deceptive arrangement of evidence or circumstances to make an innocent person appear guilty of a crime.
Any setup or dishonest arrangement designed to trap or incriminate someone unfairly; more broadly, any situation perceived as being rigged against an individual.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: Hyphenated as 'frame-up' is standard in both, though occasionally seen as one word ('frameup'). No significant usage difference.
Connotations
Strongly associated with police corruption, political scandals, and judicial malfeasance in both varieties.
Frequency
Moderately low frequency in both, but more common in crime reporting and fictional genres (detective stories, legal thrillers).
Grammar
How to Use “frame-up” in a Sentence
be a frame-up (against someone)fall victim to a frame-upclaim (that) it was a frame-upset up a frame-upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “frame-up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The bent copper tried to frame up the suspect by planting evidence.
- They were framed up by a rival gang.
American English
- The prosecutor alleged the police framed up the defendant.
- He claimed he'd been framed up by his business partners.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, unless in context of corporate espionage or fraud accusations (e.g., 'He claimed the embezzlement charge was a corporate frame-up').
Academic
Rare in formal academic writing; may appear in criminology, political science, or historical analysis of judicial corruption.
Everyday
Used when discussing perceived injustice, especially in legal contexts or news stories about wrongful convictions.
Technical
Not a technical legal term, but used in legal discourse and crime journalism to describe malicious prosecution.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “frame-up”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “frame-up”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “frame-up”
- Using it as a verb without the hyphen (e.g., 'They framed him up' is the verb; the noun is 'a frame-up'). Confusing it with 'framing' which is more general.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an informal term used in journalistic and colloquial contexts to describe a fabricated case. Formal legal terms might include 'malicious prosecution' or 'fabrication of evidence'.
A 'frame-up' involves creating false evidence after a crime or for a crime that didn't occur to implicate someone. 'Entrapment' involves law enforcement inducing a person to commit a crime they would not have otherwise committed.
The verb is typically 'to frame someone'. 'Frame up' is sometimes used phrasally (e.g., 'to frame someone up'), but the standard noun form is the hyphenated 'frame-up'.
Yes, 'fit-up' is a common British informal synonym with identical meaning, often used in crime fiction and reports.
A deceptive arrangement of evidence or circumstances to make an innocent person appear guilty of a crime.
Frame-up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfreɪm ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfreɪm ˌʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fit someone up (UK)”
- “set someone up”
- “take the fall”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a picture FRAME hanging crookedly. Someone 'fixes' it by putting a fake painting inside to UP the blame on you. It's a FRAME-UP: a fake setup to make you look guilty.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A STAGE / TRUTH IS A CONSTRUCT. The legal process is metaphorically a theatrical stage where evidence can be fabricated and scenes arranged dishonestly.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'frame-up' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?