Synonyms of contrived

contrived 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈtrīvd 

as in strained

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

the contrived applause of a TV studio audience that has been told when to clap

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strained
• mock
• unnatural
• false
• exaggerated
• fake
• simulated
• artificial
• mechanical
• affected
• forced
• pseudo
• assumed
• feigned
• spurious
• phony
• factitious
• bogus
• pretended
• plastic
• sham
• cute
• theatrical
• put-on
• hollow
• manufactured
• unreal
• deliberate
• calculated
• unrealistic
• fabricated
• concocted
• empty
• automatic
• insincere
• canned
• hypocritical
• labored
• hokey
• facile
• pat
• formal
• melodramatic
• stiff
• unauthentic
• conventional
• unctuous
• stylized
• wooden
• conscious
• impersonal
• premeditated
• cultivated
• histrionic
• overacted
• rigid
• mealy
• overdone
• mealymouthed
• two-faced
• artful
• studied
• cutesy
• double-dealing
• genteel
• inflexible
• simpering
• overrefined
• left-handed
• mincing
• goody-goody

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• spontaneous
• natural
• genuine
• real
• unaffected
• artless
• realistic
• true
• authentic
• bona fide
• right
• uncontrived
• unforced
• sincere
• ingenuous
• easy
• honest
• unfeigned
• smooth
• effortless
• instinctive
• unconscious
• impromptu
• extemporaneous
• impulsive
• unpretending
• unrehearsed
• unstudied
• unprompted

contrived

2 of 2

verb

past tense of contrive

1

as in concocted

to create or think of by clever use of the imagination

contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concocted
• devised
• constructed
• invented
• designed
• manufactured
• thought (up)
• produced
• cooked (up)
• fabricated
• came up with
• made up
• hatched
• excogitated
• conceived
• trumped up
• vamped (up)
• imagined
• envisioned
• improvised
• drummed up
• dreamed
• visualized
• coined
• envisaged
• fantasized
• daydreamed
• visioned
• extemporized
• ad-libbed
• pictured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• copied
• duplicated
• reproduced
• mimicked
• imitated
• replicated
• cloned
• reduplicated
• copycatted

2

as in plotted

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

• plotted
• schemed
• planned
• conspired
• connived
• intrigued
• colluded
• machinated
• engineered
• concocted
• devised
• designed
• manipulated
• compassed
• hatched
• put up
• cooked (up)
• counterplotted
• maneuvered
• brewed
• shaped
• mapped
• laid out
• framed
• jockeyed

3

as in negotiated

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

• negotiated
• manipulated
• engineered
• arranged
• plotted
• managed
• maneuvered
• masterminded
• framed
• concluded
• finessed
• wangled
• machinated
• finagled
• concocted
• concerted
• schemed
• worked out
• hammered out
• intrigued
• conducted
• connived
• hatched
• directed
• handled
• angled (for)
• cooked (up)
• brewed
• compassed
• commanded
• gerrymandered
• captained
• ran
• quarterbacked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bungled
• mangled
• butchered
• botched
• fumbled
• blew
• mishandled
• messed (up)
• muffed
• gummed (up)
• flubbed
• bobbled
• loused up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contrived

Adjective

Creighton jokes, explaining that making the film accessible to people is far more interesting to her than some sort of contrived celebrity impact campaign. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

The look manages to be on trend without being too contrived. — Selene Oliva, Glamour, 12 June 2026

Verb

The entire deal felt cheesy and contrived. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026

The ice bucket set-up for their initial confrontation felt contrived and Vida and Dodie’s dramatic actions involving their hotel room door felt out of character. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026