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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of contrivance
This near-calamity really smells of authorial contrivance to get the two principals to meet in person, while further comic hijinks jerry-rigged to drive the couple further together are no less fragrant.
—
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
The reader wonders if their mutual faith in hideous cars driven by strangers isn’t a contrivance at all, but a familial trait.
Of the siblings’ many mishaps, the most poetic occurs when they’re forced to swap rental cars after an accident.
—Bobby Finger, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Measuring a president at 100 days is something of a contrivance that is based on a marker set during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term back in the 1930s.
—Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2025
This should play as a melodramatic contrivance — along with the possibility that the shooter could be an angry incel teen named David whom Robby saw at the start of his shift.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
The reader wonders if their mutual faith in hideous cars driven by strangers isn’t a contrivance at all, but a familial trait.
Of the siblings’ many mishaps, the most poetic occurs when they’re forced to swap rental cars after an accident.
—Bobby Finger, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Measuring a president at 100 days is something of a contrivance that is based on a marker set during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term back in the 1930s.
—Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2025
This should play as a melodramatic contrivance — along with the possibility that the shooter could be an angry incel teen named David whom Robby saw at the start of his shift.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
-
The platform has been heavily criticized over the last year by users who’ve said their smart home gadgets have been left to wither as Google moves away from Assistant and focuses on Gemini.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Smart Home Products Upgrade your home with smart plugs, Wi-Fi extenders, and other gadgets that make daily life more convenient and connected.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Nobel Prizes were established through the will of Alfred Nobel, who amassed a fortune from his invention of dynamite.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Gein also used knives and not a chainsaw for his actual crimes; the introduction of the chainsaw in Texas Chain Saw Massacre was purely an invention for the film.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Sources of succor and disquiet—currents which Winter has ridden in life and art—each female elder is a maternal presence who offers complementary textures to the tapestry Winter has woven from threads of experience and sheer imagination.—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The house’s spectacle in Grand Palais and fashion show is rooted in technological, futuristic and artisanal imaginations, while experiencing a dichotomy with the reinvention of clothing, which carries a sensitive memory of the past — projecting a constellation of colors, codes and values.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Cisco also partners with groups like its Cisco Disability Action Network to test new tools for accessibility issues and to ensure that a new system works for everyone.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
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Researchers hope the EpiSwitch® CFS test could soon become a vital diagnostic tool in clinical settings, offering more personalized and effective care for patients.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The post-graduate educational initiative kicks off in January with yearlong academic courses across management, innovation, sustainability, production, finance, e-commerce, communication and marketing held at Accademia Costume & Moda’s Milan campus.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
6 Oct. 2025
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Bitfury helps incubate other companies through its services, and Kikvadze is dedicated to creating conditions where innovation can flourish.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The almost science-fiction contraption, made by the Dutch firm ASML and heavily reliant on technology devised in the US, has come to symbolize the gap between China and the West.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
After 53-minutes and change, Vince falls off his contraption, advancing Morgan to Part 3 of the competition!—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But when talking about fashion, creativity has to be the leading force and the most relevant force.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival is filled with cinematic creativity from award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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