1
as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrive
The language of manifesting your dreams into reality might sound nonsensical or contrived, but to JOP, his magical thinking became his saving grace.
—
Andrea Flores
jan. 8, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The galleries, the murals, the breweries, the cafés and the live music venues contribute to a genuine community atmosphere — not an experience contrived from planning committee meetings or focus groups.
—Bill Bootz, Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
By eschewing salaries, lobbying Congress to gut the estate tax, and contriving elaborate writeoffs and work-arounds, the very rich have placed much of their wealth beyond the reach of the state.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The team of graphic designers behind Meow Wolf even contrives mini comics based on these realms so readers can get a pulse of how alive these worlds are.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Andrea Flores
jan. 8, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The galleries, the murals, the breweries, the cafés and the live music venues contribute to a genuine community atmosphere — not an experience contrived from planning committee meetings or focus groups.
—Bill Bootz, Charlotte Observer, 29 Dec. 2025
By eschewing salaries, lobbying Congress to gut the estate tax, and contriving elaborate writeoffs and work-arounds, the very rich have placed much of their wealth beyond the reach of the state.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The team of graphic designers behind Meow Wolf even contrives mini comics based on these realms so readers can get a pulse of how alive these worlds are.
—Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrive
Verb
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New uses are continually being devised.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
With no worthy opponents left, Baki and the underground fighters grow restless — until a plan is devised to resurrect Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s greatest swordsman.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In early May, with United due to host arch-rivals Liverpool in the Premier League during a time in which Covid-19 restrictions meant fans were not allowed into stadiums, supporters plotted a huge protest around one of the most high-profile fixtures in English football.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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But commenters were also fascinated by a series of colorful graphs plotting dose-response curves for individual types of exercise, purporting to show that walking is the best, jogging is good but not too much, swimming is no good at all, and so on.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Such cover is often used in sectors such as agriculture – with pay-outs for farmers when a flood of a set magnitude occurs, for example – and provides policyholders with a speedy settlement, rather than requiring them to negotiate with loss adjusters.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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During his insulated schooling and military training, nobody told Joseph that South Africa’s white civilian leaders had changed their view of Mandela and were beginning to negotiate with him.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Before Bridgegate, there was Tollgate in 2011, when Baroni went behind the back of the executive director to conspire with Christie to concoct a phony and fantastically too high 50% toll hike plan, that Christie could knock back and be the hero.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Prosecutors say Brendan Banfield concocted an elaborate scheme to kill his wife, Christine Banfield, and another man, Joseph Ryan, in their family home in February 2023.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Reuther plays Jarl Sigurd, the Jarl of Hladir, a scheming Norwegian jarl and ally of Haakon (Levi Miller), the younger half-brother of Erik Bloodaxe (Molyneux).—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
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Randy’s social life involved a scheming posse of white-supremacist survivalists who wanted to fight the ZOG (Zionist Occupied Government) by, say, forcing IRS agents to walk naked through the woods.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The company has also arranged software escrow agreements in the US and Germany.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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Her shining brown curls are carefully arranged each morning, tied up with pink ribbon, festooned with flowers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Corning has had to re-invent itself time and again to get to this point.—
Katie Tarasov,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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German's Sweet Baking Chocolate This chocolate was invented by Samuel German, who wanted to help bakers by combining the sugar with the chocolate for ease.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lemon vowed to fight the charges against him, which include conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Lemon was charged in Los Angeles Friday afternoon on allegations of conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and alleged FACE Act violations.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrive. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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