contrive

verb con·trive \ kən-ˈtrīv \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of contrive

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

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contriver

noun

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Examples of contrive in a Sentence

The prisoners contrived a way to escape.
He contrived a meeting with the president.

Recent Examples of contrive from the Web

In other words, the Knicks are finally free to delve deep into their rebuilding process, though one not too contrived, like that of the Philadelphia 76ers, who happen to be Thursday night’s opponent at the Garden.

— harvey araton, New York Times, "Lose Now, Win Later? In Sixers, Knicks Have a Role Model," 14 Mar. 2018
Hurlbert's use of masks and Mardi Gras to express the themes of disguise and deception does not come across as contrived.

— doug maccash, NOLA.com, "What are the 3 coolest spots on Conde Nast Traveler's New Orleans list?," 21 Mar. 2018
In reality, love is a little less contrived, (hopefully) more real, but every bit as exciting.

— charlotte andersen, Redbook, "19 People Reveal the Exact Moment When They Knew They Were In Love," 23 May 2017
Clashes have proved Trump to be just as unsteady internationally as domestically With Trump, the question has long been how much of his controversial and wild behavior is deliberate and how much is contrived — even strategic.

— aaron blake, Washington Post, "Here’s what we know about Trump the diplomat ahead of his Kim Jong Un meeting," 9 Mar. 2018
This presumably was treated as evidence that the mayor herself had contrived to make the trip and arranged for Forrest’s presence without a legitimate reason for it.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Nashville Mayor Resigns Over Using Taxpayer Money to Fund Affair With Bodyguard," 6 Mar. 2018
There is a wryness to many of these poems, and some contrive a mordant introspection.

— frank wilson, Philly.com, "Nausheen Eusuf's 'Not Elegy, But Eros': Love, and the life of the senses," 19 Feb. 2018
It’s old fashioned but in an unchanged, authentic way that’s not cliché, contrived or ironic.

— larry olmsted, USA TODAY, "Connecticut's hot dogs worth a detour," 1 Feb. 2018
Anything else is contrived at best, fear-based at worst.

— bud shaw, cleveland.com, "Can Baker Mayfield rise above Manziel-sized doubts? -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs," 20 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contrive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of contrive

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

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