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contrivance

noun

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1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards

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2
as in invention
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination despite the many modern contrivances for saving time and labor, we seem to have less leisure and energy than ever before

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3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others in that writer's hands, narrative contrivance can often deteriorate into pointless gimmickry

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Thesaurus Entries Near contrivance

contrition

contrivance

contrivances

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Cite this Entry

“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 26 Nov. 2022.

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More from Merriam-Webster on contrivance

Nglish: Translation of contrivance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of contrivance for Arabic Speakers

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