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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
ABC News, 4 May 2026
Footage shows the lovebird riding high inside a clear cabin attached to a drone, as the contraption glides through the air before gently descending toward the ground.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
Tyler Fever, who runs the YouTube channel Prop Department, took the already tiny Festiva and chopped it to pieces, ultimately creating a roughly shopping-cart-sized contraption that resembles something out of The Flintstones.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026
The contraption was notably simple, engineering experts told Fox News Digital, and didn't reflect particularly advanced mechanical engineering for a graduating senior at Caltech.
—Asra Q. Nomani , Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 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 9 May. 2026.
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contraption
noun
