contrived

1 of 2

adjective

con·​trived kən-ˈtrīvd 

: having an unnatural or false appearance or quality : artificial, labored entry 1

a contrived plot

contrived

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of contrive

Synonyms of contrived

Adjective

• strained
• mock
• unnatural
• false
• exaggerated
• fake
• simulated
• artificial
• mechanical
• affected
• forced
• pseudo

Examples of contrived in a Sentence

Adjective

… it may remind readers of Christopher Nolan's ingeniously contrived mystery film "Memento" … —Joyce Carol Oates, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2005

The music industry has become far more image conscious and contrived since her first album affected me so profoundly … —Lisa Marie Presley, Time, 18 Apr. 2005

There are some who scorn that sterling art form, the afternoon soap opera, alleging that its characters are unbelievable, its plots contrived and its action negligible. —Lydel Sims, Assignment: Memphis, 1982

The movie's contrived ending was a big disappointment.

The results of the test seemed somewhat contrived.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Somebody like Gilroy or Jeff Kober and Barry Corbin (popping up occasionally as a pair of geriatric gangsters) will come and go in situations knowingly designed to feel contrived. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

OpenAI’s method can never work, in fact, without using a very contrived equation for the force that is unlike anything that could occur in the real world. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026

While the former babysitter hiccup is ostensibly the obstacle for Emma and Charlie’s love story, Emma gets over it pretty quickly, and that speed bump is a little too contrived and minor. — Katie Walsh, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

Scenes designed to advance the plot feel more contrived than ones in which characters just share thoughts and feelings, but there are plenty of those. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of contrive

First Known Use

Adjective

1850, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for contrived

• archived
• arrived
• connived
• deprived
• derived
• revived
• survived
• dived
• lived
• rived
• strived
• thrived