contrivances

plural of contrivance

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 contrivances To be fair, most romance plotting is built on contrivances and guaranteed happily ever afters. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025 Is the format—the set, the show structure, the million contrivances—part of the joke? Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 Get past the contrivances, and the comedy has some perceptive observations about the way grief and secrets can color a relationship, plus some very trenchant commentary about the sorry state of the Los Angeles real estate market. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024 In such an instance, the loosey-goosey facets might allow for a great deal of confusion, finger-pointing, and slippery contrivances. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 The characters are more thinly drawn, with shallow motivations in spite of the plot’s contrivances. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivances
Noun
  • Check that all your kitchen appliances and gadgets work properly and are used regularly.
    Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
  • See which gadgets made a difference.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • About a decade ago, many economists took a more pessimistic view, arguing that inventions such as smartphones or even the internet had less of an economic impact than previous developments such as the airplane or the car.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
  • This year, the Switch 2 also made our list of the year’s top inventions.
    Merrill Fabry, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • By the 1970s, innovations in fertilizer, pesticide and crop development, along with farm subsidies, led to a glut of grain.
    Alice Callahan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Previous innovations made cars faster, safer, and more efficient.
    Sterling Anderson, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contrivances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivances. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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