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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrived
Judy Berman, Time, 2 May 2025
While such generalizations have historically been used to demonize enemies, there is still a contrived tendency to divide the world into land and sea powers.
—Colin Flint, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
Trump’s contrived veneer is being ripped away to reveal an immoral, mendacious, transactional opportunist, without a shred of loyalty to anyone or anything but himself.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
The understood reason for this contrived explanation of meme coins is to avoid being classified as a security under the Howey Test, thereby evading the regulatory purview of the SEC.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Adjective
With its contrived conclusion, the latter storyline puts a somewhat ill-fitting bow on the series.
—Judy Berman, Time, 2 May 2025
While such generalizations have historically been used to demonize enemies, there is still a contrived tendency to divide the world into land and sea powers.
—Colin Flint, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
Trump’s contrived veneer is being ripped away to reveal an immoral, mendacious, transactional opportunist, without a shred of loyalty to anyone or anything but himself.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
The understood reason for this contrived explanation of meme coins is to avoid being classified as a security under the Howey Test, thereby evading the regulatory purview of the SEC.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrived
Adjective
-
The earliest use cases have shown up where human labor is most strained and speed is a competitive edge, support desks, sales pipelines, email inboxes and even the marketing office where agentic marketplaces like Enso offer an entire team’s worth of agentic replacements.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Tehran's densely populated urban centers and strained infrastructure make the city especially vulnerable to continued attacks, heightening fear and instability.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
The North America deal was negotiated between Rachel White, Vertical’s Manager of Acquisitions & Sales, and Daniel Diamond of Diamond Media, which is handling sales.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2025
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The deal was negotiated between Signature Entertainment’s Acquisitions & Development Executive Max Hart and DeskPop Entertainment’s Executive Vice President Mat Levy.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Connelly, like many media members, has taken part in the annual mock selection sessions run by the CFP to provide a window into its process.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
In fact, some mock boards don’t have Luis being drafted at all.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
Before the Frazier and Foreman fight was devised, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was stripped of the title.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Price controls don’t work, whether they’re devised domestically or imported from abroad.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This country is being manipulated by two people — and those too afraid to have the courage to oppose them.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
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In Season 4 of the Max comedy, Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels have manipulated their way into their respective dream jobs as host and head writer of a late-night talk show on network TV.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Because the bear started seeking out an unnatural food source, it was euthanized for safety reasons, officials said.—
Helena Wegner,
Idaho Statesman,
27 June 2025
-
For too long, sunscreen hasn’t worked for melanin-rich skin—leaving behind white casts, greasy residue, or an unnatural gray tint.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
This reactor stands out because its sophisticated solar absorber is carefully engineered to retain as much heat as possible while reducing losses.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2025
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Given the sensitivity of the LiDAR to performance to temperature, Komatsu engineered specialized thermal management solutions to address a wide operating range (-50 °C - +65 °C).—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This was a false charge by the Bush administration, as the United Nations’ inspectors on the ground in Iraq tried to communicate to Bush, and as his intelligence agencies tried to tell him.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
24 June 2025
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But an investigation resulted in an astonishing call from the other side of the world, which revealed that ‘The GPO Girl’ was, in fact, a 25-year-old Australian, who has created more than 100 false identities.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrived. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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