1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Should we be handed another gadget that could handicap our social skills?—
Sloane Crosley,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
Wearable wellness gadgets are everywhere, but few have generated the kind of long-haul user testimonials as the Apollo Neuro.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The Brooklynite was an invention of the bar at the Stork Club, the most famous nightclub in New York.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
6 June 2026
-
For the unfamiliar, jibaritos are a Chicago invention deeply tied to the city's Puerto Rican population, and here, Irizarry and friends fry plantains to a tostone-perfection.—
Jessi Roti,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
No prizes will be given for imagination alone!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
-
Ranging from seemingly endless desert plains to rugged mountain ranges, the region is filled with scenic drives, plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure, and best of all, wide-open spaces that let the imagination roam free.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The awards and their accompanying speeches are the best promotional tools potential winners have in their arsenal, especially in an era when Broadway economics have gotten crazier by the year.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
The tool, which uses artificial intelligence, could be deployed at airports to bolster wildlife enforcement efforts, the researchers say.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The astronomical pay package and eye-popping performance targets are on brand for Musk, whose track record of innovation is perhaps matched only by his thirst for attention.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
Applicants may interpret topics such as climate justice, corporate greenwashing, Indigenous rights, material innovation, wildlife and biodiversity, waste and pollution, grassroots activism, recycling and circularity, and the physical and mental impacts of the climate crisis.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
6 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
-
That spirit still drives the family today, even as each sibling approaches creativity from a different angle.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
6 June 2026
-
However, bringing the villa to life has required a surprising amount of time, materials and creativity.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
