1
as in devising
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 plotting
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 negotiating
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contriving
Even his courtship with Bess Wallace was accented by Truman contriving a tennis court for her — the dynamics of which are captured through photos of and letters about his efforts.
—
Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
The profligacy, for sure, with Everton contriving to surrender a 1-0 lead in the space of eight remarkable second-half minutes in which defender Jake O’Brien was also sent off.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Director Ellenstein had the aha moment earlier this decade of contriving a work about Eisenhower and the accomplished playwright and Orange County native, Richard Hellesen, took on the task of writing it.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
By eschewing salaries, lobbying Congress to gut the estate tax, and contriving elaborate writeoffs and work-arounds, the very rich have placed much of their wealth beyond the reach of the state.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
The profligacy, for sure, with Everton contriving to surrender a 1-0 lead in the space of eight remarkable second-half minutes in which defender Jake O’Brien was also sent off.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Director Ellenstein had the aha moment earlier this decade of contriving a work about Eisenhower and the accomplished playwright and Orange County native, Richard Hellesen, took on the task of writing it.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
By eschewing salaries, lobbying Congress to gut the estate tax, and contriving elaborate writeoffs and work-arounds, the very rich have placed much of their wealth beyond the reach of the state.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contriving
Verb
-
States are getting creative in devising how the money will be collected either through taxation or voluntary donations by state residents.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Working with industry qubits Imec’s genius is not in devising a new kind of qubit but in using one that’s the easiest to scale.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Bolsonaro was arrested and ultimately convicted of plotting a coup to overturn the results of that election.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
-
Scary Movie was just released and Marlon Wayans is already plotting a cameo for the next sequel.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator between the US and Iran in recent months during the war in the Middle East, playing a leading role in negotiating a temporary ceasefire in April.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
College hockey already is negotiating a tumultuous era.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
And she’s spent a decade scaling her brand into an industry disrupter; Ellsworth began concocting prebiotic drinks in 2015, founding her business just one year later.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
According to the report, workers illegally pocketed between $20,000 and more than $41,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans from a massive federal COVID-19 pandemic relief effort – some by concocting companies that didn't exist to pocket federal assistance funds.—
Chris Tye,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ikebana flower arranging — Japan Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging, has been practiced since the late 15th century and remains deeply embedded in Japanese culture today.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
-
Ikebana flower arranging — Japan.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
After constructing a timeline, investigators concluded that Emilio had been lured to meet Alvarez shortly before his disappearance.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
But sourcing materials and constructing furniture turned out to be the easy part.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Like Muir, Lustmord’s Brian Williams creates harrowing, light-devouring music by digitally manipulating a vast library of sounds he’s collected via sampling and field recording.—
Brad Sanders,
Pitchfork,
8 June 2026
-
The ever-expanding, replicating, and manipulating series of rooms take scraps and memories of those who pass through it, expanding into something that defies personality or ease.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Whereas electricity was powerful in automating physical processes, and the internet moved information faster, neither technology made inventing new things faster.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
-
The dominant technique now isn’t so much inventing a controversy from nothing as choosing which real minor outrage to fuel.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contriving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contriving. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
