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What exactly is a contraption?
In the words of one Little Mermaid, “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty.” It would have been on-theme (though perhaps a bit clunky) for the aquatic princess to include in her siren song the word contraption. Synonymous with both gadget and gizmo, and widget too, in referring to mechanical and electronic devices, contraption is also one of a raft of terms people reach for when talking about various human-made bits and bobs, whether mechanical or not. (It's thought to have possibly been formed as a blend of contrivance, trap, and invention.) Want more thingamabob words? Try doohickey, thingamajig, dingus, or doodad.
Examples of contraption in a Sentence
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2026
On this day in 1884, the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway, the wooden contraption generally considered to have been America’s first roller coaster, opened at Coney Island.
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Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 June 2026
With a turn of a crank, Edison astonished the dozen or so staffers who had gathered around the contraption.
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Ron Cowen,
Scientific American,
3 June 2026
These genius contraptions help remove moisture from the air and can make a big difference in cooling down the house.
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Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraption
Cite this Entry
“Contraption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraption. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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contraption
noun
