1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrivance
The dialogue is overwrought, the plot contrivances are gratuitous, and the show has never been more fun.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The script, also by Ahn, leans slightly too much on contrivances to nudge the relationship along.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Ponies is overly reliant on coincidences and characters making unlikely mistakes to keep the plot moving, and all that contrivance leads to some Swiss-cheese-like plotting in the season’s back half.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
In another area of the factory, machines installed four years earlier already lack certain even-more-modern contrivances.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The script, also by Ahn, leans slightly too much on contrivances to nudge the relationship along.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Ponies is overly reliant on coincidences and characters making unlikely mistakes to keep the plot moving, and all that contrivance leads to some Swiss-cheese-like plotting in the season’s back half.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
In another area of the factory, machines installed four years earlier already lack certain even-more-modern contrivances.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
-
That demand has produced a crowded field of gadgets so here are 11 worth knowing about.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2026
-
Your Wi-Fi router may be the least glamorous gadget in your home.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
More stadiums added the instrument after the invention of the Hammond electric organ and following improvements to stadium public address systems.—
Tom Reinsfelder,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 June 2026
-
Every detail is accurate, though the picture as a whole is an invention, concocted from multiple views, locations, and studies.—
Susan Tallman,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
A little bit of imagination, a semi-dark sky, and comfortable lawn chairs really get the job done!—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
14 June 2026
-
The Generic 2-Story Prefab Restaurant is listed as a shipping container restaurant, but since the structure is fully customizable to your exact specifications, the only limits to its uses are your own imagination.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
The water conservation district arguably lacks the tools needed to live up to the conservation part of its name assigned by state legislators.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
-
Pilots are highly trained to problem solve, and this tiny tool is a go-to travel hack for some of the most frequent flyers.—
Kristy Alpert,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
While matches and Fan Festival activities will draw crowds across the metropolitan area, organizers hope visitors will venture beyond the stadium and experience the neighborhood that helped define Kansas City’s reputation as a center of jazz, Black culture and artistic innovation.—
J.M. Banks
June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
-
As money pours in, those suffering from a disease like Parkinson’s or seeking experimental therapies for Alzheimer’s will find medical innovation in their backyard rather than having to travel outside the state.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
With a turn of a crank, Edison astonished the dozen or so staffers who had gathered around the contraption.—
Ron Cowen,
Scientific American,
3 June 2026
-
These genius contraptions help remove moisture from the air and can make a big difference in cooling down the house.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Yet amid all that regulatory creativity, one legal industry was largely left out of the celebration.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Dating, courtship, fun, hobbies, creativity, sports and games will all be on the top of your mind.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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