contrive

verb

con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv 

contrived; contriving

transitive verb

1

a

: devise, plan

contrive ways of handling the situation

The prisoners contrived a way to escape.

b

: to form or create in an artistic or ingenious manner

contrived household utensils from stone

Native Americans contrived weapons out of stone, wood, and bone.

2

: to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty : manage

he contrived to win their support

intransitive verb

: to make schemes

contriver noun

Synonyms

• concoct
• construct
• cook (up)
• devise
• drum up
• excogitate
• fabricate
• invent
• make up
• manufacture
• think (up)
• trump up
• vamp (up)

Examples of contrive in a Sentence

The prisoners contrived a way to escape.

He contrived a meeting with the president.

Recent Examples on the Web

The arguments in favor of this working seem rather contrived. —Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 May 2025

Hayek’s laissez-faire styling wasn’t contrived, either. —Rosa Rahimi, CNN Money, 13 May 2025

The most enticing conspiracy theories often have a dash of truth in them, even if that truth is completely unrelated to the conspiracy being contrived. —Ramishah Maruf, Brandon Miller, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025

His fascination with the still image, and with the way digital technology mediates desire, can translate into garments of surreal potency, contrived to go viral. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English controven, contreven, from Anglo-French controver, contrever, from Medieval Latin contropare to compare, from Latin com- + Vulgar Latin *tropare to compose, find — more at troubadour

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for contrive

• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive
• deprive
• derive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive
• five

Kids Definition

contrive

verb

con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv 

contrived; contriving

1

: plan entry 2 sense 1, plot

contrive a way to escape

2

: to form or make in a skillful or clever way : invent

3

: bring about, manage

contriving to make ends meet

contriver noun