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
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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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As such, Adam starts to turn Jamie Tanner (David Duchovny) and Nat (Carice Van Houten) against each other and secretly plots to bring down the entire family.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
23 Oct. 2025
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Boxing’s heavyweight division could be set for another shift as Oleksandr Usyk plots his return to the ring in 2026.—
Antonio Losada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rather than dictating rates to providers, Unity negotiates reimbursements tied to Medicare benchmarks.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Faulí now runs a team of eleven architects, and also negotiates the politics of a project that has numerous stakeholders.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lockjaw, obsessed with everything about Perfidia, concocts a reason to send authorities into the town where Bob and Willa are living.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Sep. 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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Financial compatibility is a necessity, but a partner who arranges things and therefore shows effort is vital.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
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An employee arranges a salad dressing display at an Amazon Fresh grocery store on December 12, 2024 in Federal Way, Washington.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Every generation invents its own slang, and language evolves in ways most of us will never consciously perceive, Jones said.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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And recently, many of these voices have declared that the day of reckoning is near, telling government officials that whichever country invents AGI first will gain enormous geopolitical advantages.—
Michael C. Horowitz,
Foreign Affairs,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Don't Look Now manipulates audiences' minds, mixing elements of the occult with the overwhelming need for hope into a plot twist audiences will find difficult to swallow.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
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Instead of relying on pigments or coatings, LightRipple manipulates reflection and refraction at the microscopic level, producing a dynamic play of gold and shadow that shifts subtly as the case moves.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Contrives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrives. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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