as in gadgets
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
built a contraption for automatically buttering toast
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Recent Examples of contraptions
So Ukrainian and Russian mechanics keep tinkering with their contraptions to keep the tanks in the fight.
—
Marco Hernandez, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
In this case, pressing L2 and R2 at the same time activates a type of vision that will show players demonic contraptions that are invisible to the human eye.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025
The sweet, young blasted-to-pieces kids are hooked up to contraptions or lie there too depressed to even blink.
—Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
These machines are typically massive, tentacled contraptions that require billions of dollars and decades to construct.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 Dec. 2024
Theater chains are dreaming up more and more whimsical—and, in some cases, distracting—contraptions in hopes of capturing attention.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024
Related Video Getting Ready With Úrsula Corberó But cold water immersion can be incorporated in many different ways, without fancy contraptions or large price tags.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2024
YouTube has some examples of musicians wielding the fiery contraptions.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
When Sunday’s finale picks up, the three remaining houseguests are still clinging on to their contraptions in what looks like an endurance challenge from hell.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 13 Oct. 2024
Marco Hernandez, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
In this case, pressing L2 and R2 at the same time activates a type of vision that will show players demonic contraptions that are invisible to the human eye.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025
The sweet, young blasted-to-pieces kids are hooked up to contraptions or lie there too depressed to even blink.
—Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
These machines are typically massive, tentacled contraptions that require billions of dollars and decades to construct.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 Dec. 2024
Theater chains are dreaming up more and more whimsical—and, in some cases, distracting—contraptions in hopes of capturing attention.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024
Related Video Getting Ready With Úrsula Corberó But cold water immersion can be incorporated in many different ways, without fancy contraptions or large price tags.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2024
YouTube has some examples of musicians wielding the fiery contraptions.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
When Sunday’s finale picks up, the three remaining houseguests are still clinging on to their contraptions in what looks like an endurance challenge from hell.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 13 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraptions
gadgets
Noun
-
Big-ticket gadgets just dropped in price on Amazon today, and the savings are huge.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
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In the '80s, KITT's diagnostic abilities and the futuristic medical gadgets in Star Trek IV mesmerized us.—
Sanath Chilakala,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contraptions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraptions. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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