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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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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But over the course of the next week, Nakase will be devising a plan to stop Reese.
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However, Solskjaer had spent that off-season devising how United would play with Sancho in an attacking unit alongside Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Dan James, with the likes of Bruno Fernandes just behind.
Verb
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Sources tell OutKick that Pitaro backed Mark Jones in 2020 when Jones falsely accused police officers of plotting to shoot him.
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Lively accused Baldoni in December 2024 of harassing her on the set of It Ends With Us and subsequently plotting a smear campaign against her.
Verb
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The board’s approval of his hire means that the government can begin negotiating his salary and benefits.
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Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say.
Verb
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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.
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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.
Verb
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All these plans acknowledge the experience gap, namely that training without arranging relevant work experience is often futile.
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Among DeJohn’s hobbies were flower arranging, collecting anything blue and white, gardening, and decorating.
Verb
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The project included replacing sections of the penstock, installing new vent piping and constructing a new concrete thrust block.
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Success will depend less on constructing facilities than on securing long-term buyers, trusted regulators, technology transfer, and patient capital that can sustain long-term production.
Verb
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This is by no means the first time that HAARP has been accused of controlling or manipulating the weather.
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After Cape Fear anchors us in those assurances, the men’s enmity continues manipulating our expectations and our beliefs.
Verb
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Bell’s scheme, presented in a journal devoted to eugenics and geared toward optimizing dietary protein, would later resurface at another moment of food anxiety, when Walter Voegtlin was inventing the Paleo diet in the 1970s.
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Join the team inventing impactful AI solutions to shape the future of finance.
Cite this Entry
“Contriving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contriving. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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