contrived
adjective
con·trived
kən-ˈtrīvd 
: having an unnatural or false appearance or quality : artificial, labored
a contrived plot
Synonyms
Examples of contrived in a Sentence
… it may remind readers of Christopher Nolan's ingeniously contrived mystery film "Memento" …
—
Joyce Carol Oates, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2005
The music industry has become far more image conscious and contrived since her first album affected me so profoundly …
—Lisa Marie Presley, Time, 18 Apr. 2005
There are some who scorn that sterling art form, the afternoon soap opera, alleging that its characters are unbelievable, its plots contrived and its action negligible.
—Lydel Sims, Assignment: Memphis, 1982
The movie's contrived ending was a big disappointment.
The results of the test seemed somewhat contrived.
Joyce Carol Oates, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2005
The music industry has become far more image conscious and contrived since her first album affected me so profoundly …
—Lisa Marie Presley, Time, 18 Apr. 2005
There are some who scorn that sterling art form, the afternoon soap opera, alleging that its characters are unbelievable, its plots contrived and its action negligible.
—Lydel Sims, Assignment: Memphis, 1982
The movie's contrived ending was a big disappointment.
The results of the test seemed somewhat contrived.
Recent Examples on the Web
Start by being honest about your motives rather than creating contrived rationalizations for your desires to restrict the freedoms of Americans.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Sometimes that meant moving a scene from the novel to later in the series, when the act of seppuku would feel less like a contrived plot point and more organic to a character’s development.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024
The meet-cute seems a little contrived, but the dynamic between Hathaway and Galitzine clicks right away.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024
These contrived, cosmetic embellishments undercut the legitimate emotional tension generated by the many folks striving for that giant pile of cash in that piggy bank’s belly.
—EW.com, 20 Nov. 2023
But as a whole, recent Grammys fashion has been much more contrived, and less about disrupting the norm.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2024
Then in 1994, Shor read a paper by the computer scientist Daniel Simon that showed how to exploit quantum superposition to solve a contrived problem.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023
Sure, the framing device, involving a P.I. (Kevin Kline) and an angel of death (Virginia Madsen), is a little contrived, and Garrison Keillor’s avuncular drawl may ring false to today’s ears.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023
Related: Commissioner Adam Silver has the NBA thriving, with a new CBA, rich television deal, and perhaps expansion
Silver said these rules were a byproduct of teams and players hindering the fan experience with random contrived injuries.
—Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Sometimes that meant moving a scene from the novel to later in the series, when the act of seppuku would feel less like a contrived plot point and more organic to a character’s development.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024
The meet-cute seems a little contrived, but the dynamic between Hathaway and Galitzine clicks right away.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024
These contrived, cosmetic embellishments undercut the legitimate emotional tension generated by the many folks striving for that giant pile of cash in that piggy bank’s belly.
—EW.com, 20 Nov. 2023
But as a whole, recent Grammys fashion has been much more contrived, and less about disrupting the norm.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 1 Feb. 2024
Then in 1994, Shor read a paper by the computer scientist Daniel Simon that showed how to exploit quantum superposition to solve a contrived problem.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023
Sure, the framing device, involving a P.I. (Kevin Kline) and an angel of death (Virginia Madsen), is a little contrived, and Garrison Keillor’s avuncular drawl may ring false to today’s ears.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2023
Related: Commissioner Adam Silver has the NBA thriving, with a new CBA, rich television deal, and perhaps expansion
Silver said these rules were a byproduct of teams and players hindering the fan experience with random contrived injuries.
—Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contrived.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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Cite this Entry
“Contrived.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrived. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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