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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
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The board has also contemplated devising an explanation or message for the county’s website detailing to the public the reason for the changes.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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There were also signs of progress on property taxes as lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee advanced their tax cut proposal — although their plan remains far from the one their Senate counterparts are devising.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The process is designed to keep a president at the helm, so the president doesn’t have to worry about his own appointees plotting against him, Kalt explained.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Orbán also leaves behind a fiscal mess, which the analyst Dalibor Rohac suggests Orbán might be happy to abandon while plotting his comeback.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Iranian media outlets are portraying the development as a victory for Tehran’s negotiating position, claiming that Iran’s insistence on linking progress in talks with Washington to a ceasefire in Lebanon compelled the United States and Israel to agree to a ceasefire there.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
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Documents entered in court on Thursday show that the man’s lawyers and prosecutors have been negotiating a deal, though the terms and just what Bryant would be admitting to aren’t yet known.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture?—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But these three high school students aren't arranging bouquets in a floral shop.—
Bo Evans,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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In the city center, the five-star boutique Anthology of Athens by the award-winning Elastic Architects has been arranging secluded luxury stays steps from the Acropolis since late 2024.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Stearns has generally placed a higher premium on defense up the middle when constructing rosters.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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By utilizing an existing containment structure, the project was able to establish a testing environment without constructing an entirely new shell.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even then, our team of artists got in there and just started manipulating things.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
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The duo greatly expanded their sample library, ripping random melodies from thrift-store records and manipulating their own field recordings.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Building a business post-Poppi Ten years after inventing Poppi, Ellsworth knows a thing or two about how to create a successful product—and for her, the key is all about authenticity.—
Katie Moore,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
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San Francisco taqueria El Faro, credited with inventing the super burrito, may be forced to sell its restaurant, citing an extreme rent increase.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contriving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contriving. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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