1
as in devises
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plots
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 negotiates
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrives
Verb
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No one wants to give up on Erica, especially Uhura, who devises a plan to send another shuttle through the wormhole to rescue Erica.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025 -
Mary’s enterprising sister Edith (Laura Carmichael) devises a plan to invite Coward, in whose show their friend Guy Dexter (Dominic West), now secretly in a relationship with their former servant Thomas (Robert James-Collier), is appearing.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Loktev’s film chronicles the Russian government’s systematic crackdown on journalists in late 2021 and early 2022 as Vladimir Putin plots his invasion of Ukraine.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
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Harper is a surfer who plays by her own rules and even plots to break up her mother from her current fiancé.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Would all athletes at one university form a unit that negotiates a CBA?—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The company has affiliation agreements with 227 other local stations and negotiates retransmission rights for those with YouTube TV and other virtual pay-TV providers.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Matthew quickly schemes his way into Oliver’s orbit after that first performance, impressing and rankling the group of lackeys in his entourage at the same time.—
Eric Torres,
Pitchfork,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Latest section, on the other hand, arranges posts and reels in chronological order, with the most recent ones appearing first.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
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At Zé Elídio’s compound, Janalice and other girls are assaulted before being handed over to Philippe Soutin, who arranges to auction them during the mayor’s birthday party.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Once concentration becomes too high, the ingenuity of entrepreneurs and developers invents a new approach to reverse it.—
Christian Catalini,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Well, after his sleep is disrupted by a cat scratching outside his apartment, Charlie invents the perfect solution.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After all, if an attacker hijacks the agent’s credentials or manipulates its input data, the agent could take harmful actions faster and more persistently than any human user.—
Michael DeCesare,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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All executions were temporarily suspended in Idaho while the state constructs the firing squad chamber.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Sep. 2025
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Although the general manager of an MLB franchise constructs team rosters, executes player transactions, and makes critical personnel decisions, the field manager engages directly with players, fosters relationships, and cultivates team culture in the clubhouse.—
Mark LaSota,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Contrives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrives. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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