Synonyms of contrives

contrives

verb

present tense third-person singular of contrive

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

• devises
• concocts
• invents
• constructs
• manufactures
• designs
• produces
• thinks (up)
• comes up with
• fabricates
• conceives
• cooks (up)
• hatches
• makes up
• envisions
• excogitates
• imagines
• trumps up
• drums up
• improvises
• envisages
• vamps (up)
• visualizes
• fantasizes
• dreams
• visions
• coins
• daydreams
• extemporizes
• pictures
• ad-libs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• imitates
• reproduces
• replicates
• copies
• mimics
• duplicates
• clones
• reduplicates
• copycats

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

• plots
• schemes
• conspires
• connives
• colludes
• intrigues
• plans
• devises
• concocts
• engineers
• manipulates
• machinates
• hatches
• compasses
• puts up
• counterplots
• maneuvers
• designs
• maps
• cooks (up)
• brews
• shapes
• jockeys
• lays out
• frames

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• negotiates
• arranges
• manipulates
• plots
• engineers
• manages
• maneuvers
• wangles
• concludes
• finesses
• finagles
• frames
• masterminds
• concocts
• schemes
• connives
• machinates
• conducts
• intrigues
• directs
• works out
• hatches
• concerts
• handles
• angles (for)
• hammers out
• brews
• cooks (up)
• commands
• compasses
• runs
• captains
• gerrymanders
• quarterbacks

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blows
• botches
• bungles
• mangles
• fumbles
• mishandles
• butchers
• flubs
• messes (up)
• bobbles
• gums (up)
• muffs
• louses up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contrives

Her early death, after an illness that the father initially contrives to ignore then notices just in time to capture her desperation in a fine sketch, leaves Mimí utterly disoriented, yearning only to achieve a level of self-control and detachment that will spare him their tumultuous struggle. — Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026

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