as in concocting
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 devising
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
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
Last week, the council voted to direct the city manager to study moving emergency operations, dispatch and the service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the building, staying there and relocating.
—Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
While Green gave him instant advice, Kerr was devising ways to get Porzingis involved.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
These plots require communication among Iranian handlers and those tasked with gathering weapons, selecting targets, and devising operational plans.
—Colin P. Clarke, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
In recent years, the property has undergone a refresh, with local architect and interior designer Pietro Castagna devising a homey yet modern aesthetic in wilful contrast to the opulent features and intricate façades of the region’s other lakeside villas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
The crew behind Welcome To Wrexham, the documentary series that has helped transform the north Wales club into a global sports phenomenon, have also been putting in long hours since the last-16 draw was made just over two weeks ago, devising storylines and planning for the big day.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Among the iconic polymath’s many (many) achievements, the 15th century thinker is famous for devising an angled contraption to help his experiments exploring friction physics.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 2026
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
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
Last week, the council voted to direct the city manager to study moving emergency operations, dispatch and the service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the building, staying there and relocating.
—Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
While Green gave him instant advice, Kerr was devising ways to get Porzingis involved.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
These plots require communication among Iranian handlers and those tasked with gathering weapons, selecting targets, and devising operational plans.
—Colin P. Clarke, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2026
In recent years, the property has undergone a refresh, with local architect and interior designer Pietro Castagna devising a homey yet modern aesthetic in wilful contrast to the opulent features and intricate façades of the region’s other lakeside villas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
The crew behind Welcome To Wrexham, the documentary series that has helped transform the north Wales club into a global sports phenomenon, have also been putting in long hours since the last-16 draw was made just over two weeks ago, devising storylines and planning for the big day.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Among the iconic polymath’s many (many) achievements, the 15th century thinker is famous for devising an angled contraption to help his experiments exploring friction physics.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devising
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
-
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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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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That’s the kind of thing Cook’s Apple was good at inventing—reasons to stick around in Apple’s ecosystem once you’d already been drawn in.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
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The first is inventing yourself.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So instead of guessing or relying purely on theory, scientists can now directly measure how entangled a material is—an essential step for designing better quantum devices.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
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The event was the inaugural Miami finale of the Green Heart STEM Challenge, a national program of the Captain Planet Foundation that tasks students in grades six through nine with identifying environmental issues in their communities and designing practical, implementable solutions.—
Ethan Stone,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devising. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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