Synonyms of contrive

contrive

verb

kən-ˈtrīv 

1

as in to devise

to create or think of by clever use of the imagination

contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils

Synonyms & Similar Words

• devise
• concoct
• invent
• construct
• design
• manufacture
• produce
• think (up)
• excogitate
• come up with
• fabricate
• cook (up)
• drum up
• conceive
• make up
• hatch
• trump up
• envision
• imagine
• visualize
• improvise
• envisage
• vamp (up)
• dream
• fantasize
• coin
• vision
• daydream
• extemporize
• ad-lib
• picture

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• imitate
• reproduce
• replicate
• mimic
• copy
• duplicate
• clone
• reduplicate
• copycat

2

as in to plot

to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends

the mischievous boys were always contriving and trying to pull the prank that would be the talk of the school

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plot
• scheme
• conspire
• plan
• connive
• collude
• devise
• machinate
• intrigue
• concoct
• compass
• manipulate
• engineer
• put up
• hatch
• design
• counterplot
• maneuver
• cook (up)
• brew
• shape
• map
• jockey
• lay out
• frame

3

as in to negotiate

to plan out usually with subtle skill or care

contrived a way of planning the surprise party without their catching on to it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• negotiate
• arrange
• manipulate
• plot
• engineer
• manage
• maneuver
• conclude
• wangle
• machinate
• finagle
• frame
• finesse
• mastermind
• concoct
• scheme
• connive
• conduct
• concert
• work out
• hammer out
• intrigue
• handle
• hatch
• direct
• compass
• angle (for)
• brew
• cook (up)
• command
• run
• gerrymander
• captain
• quarterback

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• botch
• butcher
• blow
• bungle
• mangle
• gum (up)
• fumble
• mishandle
• mess (up)
• flub
• muff
• louse up
• bobble

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contrive

The simple average of these deliveries is skewed by the 2023 Ashes, where more bouncers were bowled than in any Test on record, with England contriving repeatedly to lose wickets to the ball dug in short. — Ben Jones aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Prosecutors say the former labor and delivery nurse planned the killings and contrived to get her husband out of the house by sending him to pick up medicine for one of their children and dinner for the family. — Michael Casey, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

That’s either an amazing coincidence of errors or the studies were cynically designed to contrive flaws in RCV. — Paul Haughey, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026

Both those courts upheld the 2022 statewide congressional map that DeSantis contrived to purge a Black congressman, Al Lawson of Tallahassee. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 June 2026