Synonyms of contriving

contriving

verb

present participle of contrive

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

• devising
• concocting
• constructing
• inventing
• designing
• producing
• manufacturing
• thinking (up)
• cooking (up)
• fabricating
• hatching
• coming up with
• excogitating
• drumming up
• conceiving
• dreaming
• imagining
• making up
• envisioning
• trumping up
• coining
• visualizing
• vamping (up)
• fantasizing
• daydreaming
• improvising
• envisaging
• extemporizing
• visioning
• picturing
• ad-libbing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• imitating
• reproducing
• copying
• duplicating
• mimicking
• replicating
• cloning
• reduplicating
• copycatting

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

• plotting
• scheming
• conspiring
• colluding
• planning
• intriguing
• conniving
• devising
• machinating
• concocting
• compassing
• designing
• manipulating
• hatching
• engineering
• maneuvering
• putting up
• jockeying
• cooking (up)
• brewing
• shaping
• counterplotting
• mapping
• framing
• laying out

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

• negotiating
• plotting
• arranging
• manipulating
• engineering
• maneuvering
• managing
• framing
• masterminding
• wangling
• concluding
• machinating
• finessing
• finagling
• scheming
• concocting
• conducting
• compassing
• intriguing
• concerting
• conniving
• hatching
• directing
• working out
• hammering out
• handling
• brewing
• angling (for)
• cooking (up)
• commanding
• gerrymandering
• running
• quarterbacking
• captaining

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blowing
• fumbling
• bungling
• butchering
• mangling
• botching
• mishandling
• messing (up)
• gumming (up)
• muffing
• flubbing
• bobbling
• lousing up

Example Sentences

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