as in to concoct
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
she quickly devised a new scheme when the first one failed
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Recent Examples of devise
Each performance is different, devised by a rotating cast of participants; for instance, one Armageddon lineup featured a heel in the form of an ICE agent.
—
Elyssa Goodman, Them., 23 Dec. 2025
Martinez devised a scheme to funnel her inheritance into his own account from April 2024 to December 2024, including creating a joint account in both their names without permission, Rundle said.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
In the absence of a fixed soundtrack, hundreds of alternatives have been devised, variously, by classical composers, film composers, rock bands, doom-metal groups, jazz ensembles, and noise collectives.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Tiffany Bendayan, a chef and baker in Miami, devises different ways to make the table a space where her daughters—Emily and Sofia—feel comfortable sharing just about anything.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devise
Elyssa Goodman, Them., 23 Dec. 2025
Martinez devised a scheme to funnel her inheritance into his own account from April 2024 to December 2024, including creating a joint account in both their names without permission, Rundle said.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
In the absence of a fixed soundtrack, hundreds of alternatives have been devised, variously, by classical composers, film composers, rock bands, doom-metal groups, jazz ensembles, and noise collectives.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Tiffany Bendayan, a chef and baker in Miami, devises different ways to make the table a space where her daughters—Emily and Sofia—feel comfortable sharing just about anything.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for devise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devise
Verb
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The administration concocts a legal rationale for a foreign policy objective.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
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Notably, the computers seem to have a knack for concocting bizarre physics experiments — designs that humans wouldn’t think of, which nevertheless work.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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What a slap in the face to the folks who’ve studied, who’ve researched, who’ve invented, who’ve saved lives, who’ve fought for their lives, who’ve lost their lives, who’ve devoted their lives to keeping that last group as small as possible.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
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Those are not our gestures; those were invented by these wonderful actors.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In Santa Rosa, Cosmic Buildings is constructing Prasanna Vasudavan's new home.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Bedlore Mattress Topper The mattress topper is constructed using a bamboo fabric mix, which helps with breathability.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devise. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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