1
as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plot
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the mischievous boys were always contriving and trying to pull the prank that would be the talk of the school
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
contrived a way of planning the surprise party without their catching on to it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrive
New quarterback Anthony Colandrea brings a degree of swag that is not contrived.
—
Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The entire deal felt cheesy and contrived.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
The ice bucket set-up for their initial confrontation felt contrived and Vida and Dodie’s dramatic actions involving their hotel room door felt out of character.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Prosecutors with the First Judicial District Attorney's Office claim Heskett contrived a story that he had been attacked by a man near a trail in the state park.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The entire deal felt cheesy and contrived.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
The ice bucket set-up for their initial confrontation felt contrived and Vida and Dodie’s dramatic actions involving their hotel room door felt out of character.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Prosecutors with the First Judicial District Attorney's Office claim Heskett contrived a story that he had been attacked by a man near a trail in the state park.
—Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrive
Verb
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Security firm Varonis devised an exploit chain that was able to catapult over these guardrails.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2026
-
The researchers were Stanford psychologists carrying out an experiment on impulse control devised by Walter Mischel.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Verb
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An engineer plots a well’s falling output, fits a curve, and projects it forward.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Prosecutors accused Yoon of attempting to create a crisis with North Korea while plotting an authoritarian power grab aimed at removing political opponents and consolidating control.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Canada negotiates lower drug prices for all its citizens under its universal health care system.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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The budget plan also includes seven unpaid furlough days over the three-year period, which would have to be negotiated with the union.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Lukehart dumped Gabrielle's body in a local pond and concocted a story to trick police, court records show.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
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With the trend away from toxic chemical control of plant pests and diseases, treatment formulas concocted from benign household products are on the rise.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Lesley Manville plays the scheming Marquise de Merteuil.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Spaeny and Melton were cast as Ashley and Austin, a Gen-Z couple working at a Montecito country club, dreaming and scheming toward upward mobility, a good 18 months before filming began in early 2025.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Songtams' guides can bring you to local temples and arrange cultural experiences to the Yunnan Nationalities Village showcasing ethnic minority cultures like the Yi, Bai, and Dai people.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
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Jason Momoa, who was born in Hawaii, was photographed helping Lola arrange traditional colorful Hawaiian garlands, the leis, a tribute to her roots.—
Monica Coviello,
Vanity Fair,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Remember Bonnie, the adorable five-year-old who inherited Andy’s old toys and, in a stroke of brilliance, invented one of her own by gluing a pair of googly eyes onto a cheap white spork?—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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What’s more, the category didn’t need to be invented from scratch.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Many factors likely conspired to preserve the bones for millions of years, according to the study authors.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
While judges weighed the motions filed by the journalists and the SPLC, a similar request succeeded in the case of the Broadview Six, a group of anti-ICE protesters whom DOJ had charged with conspiring to block access to a Chicago-area immigration detention facility.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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