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Meaning & use

framed

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/freɪmd/
US/freɪmd/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Placed inside a frame, or surrounded by a border.

    Grammar: Usually before the noun: a framed photo.

    Patterns

    • framed in something
    • a framed something

    She hung a framed print above the sofa.

    The framed certificate sat on his desk.

    A framed photograph of the team stood on the shelf.

  2. adjectiveafter a verbinformal

    Falsely made to look guilty of a crime by planting evidence or telling lies.

    Grammar: Used after be or feel: he says he was framed.

    Patterns

    • be framed for something
    • get framed

    The accused claimed he was framed by a rival.

    She felt framed when the evidence appeared in her bag.

    The detective realized the man had been framed.

  3. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    Built with a supporting structure or skeleton, such as wood or steel beams.

    Grammar: Often combined: timber-framed house.

    Patterns

    • timber-framed
    • steel-framed

    They live in a timber-framed cottage.

    A steel-framed building withstood the quake.

    The framed walls were up in a day.

Common combinations

framed photograph
A framed photograph hung by the door.
framed for murder
The hero was framed for murder.
beautifully framed
The painting was beautifully framed in gold.
claim to be framed
The suspect claimed to be framed.
framed by trees
The house was framed by tall trees.

Synonyms and how they differ

set up
Set up is the informal phrase for the criminal sense, while framed sounds like a classic crime-story term.
mounted
Mounted means fixed onto a backing, whereas framed means it also has a border.
enclosed
Enclosed means surrounded in general, with no suggestion of a picture border.
stitched up
Stitched up is British slang for being deceived or blamed unfairly.

Opposites

unframed

Word family

frame noun
a border or supporting structure
frame verb
to put in a border, or to falsely blame
framing noun
the act of putting in a frame, or the way an issue is presented
frame-up noun
a false accusation planned to blame someone

Commonly confused: framed or formed?

framed vs formed

Formed means shaped or created, while framed means placed in a frame or falsely blamed.

Practice

The suspect insisted he had been ____ by the real thief.

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