1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in invention
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
despite the many modern contrivances for saving time and labor, we seem to have less leisure and energy than ever before
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
in that writer's hands, narrative contrivance can often deteriorate into pointless gimmickry
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrivance
This is a neat contrivance and accounts for the subtle nature of the scent.
—
John Burek, PCMAG, 10 Jan. 2025
To gain her confidence, Arabella pretends to be Jewish (a hokey contrivance that Shakespeare would have approved of), and Indji shares the story of her banishment.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
Get past the contrivances, and the comedy has some perceptive observations about the way grief and secrets can color a relationship, plus some very trenchant commentary about the sorry state of the Los Angeles real estate market.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024
Some of the plot’s contrivances don’t really make sense, but Byeon and Kim have great chemistry, and the showrunners do a fine job of combining bubbly high school drama with cheery romantic fantasy.
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
John Burek, PCMAG, 10 Jan. 2025
To gain her confidence, Arabella pretends to be Jewish (a hokey contrivance that Shakespeare would have approved of), and Indji shares the story of her banishment.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2025
Get past the contrivances, and the comedy has some perceptive observations about the way grief and secrets can color a relationship, plus some very trenchant commentary about the sorry state of the Los Angeles real estate market.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024
Some of the plot’s contrivances don’t really make sense, but Byeon and Kim have great chemistry, and the showrunners do a fine job of combining bubbly high school drama with cheery romantic fantasy.
—Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
-
Mainstream gadgets getting elusive Even people with broader, more mainstream tech interests see tariffs impacting their options.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Avoid piling clothes, gadgets or paperwork around your bed.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Besides being an agency invention ungrounded in the statute, disparate impact liability stands antidiscrimination law on its head.—
The Editors,
National Review,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Writ large, marching bands in America are a nineteenth-century invention, and a handful of contributing factors led to their success as an American institution.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
From her Imagination Library (over 200 million books given to children since 1999) to her beloved Pigeon Forge theme park, Dollywood, the Queen of Tennessee invites everyone into her colorful world of music and imagination.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
-
This month, Netflix delivers a lineup that blends cultural impact, classic storytelling, and bold new voices—each offering a different lens into Black life, legacy, and imagination.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Their conversation with Frost helped alter the public perception of meditation from a niche spiritual pursuit into a practical tool for personal growth.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Public investments in science have produced economic health and prosperity for all Americans and advanced our national security through innovation and soft diplomacy.—
Mary K. Feeney,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
-
Both of us are at the University of Colorado Center for COMBAT Research, where one of our core missions is to improve the psychological health of these families through education, innovation and high-impact research.—
Anne Ritter,
The Conversation,
2 May 2025
Noun
-
Inventors like Richard Arkwright and James Hargreaves had mechanized spinning with various contraptions, but weaving initially remained too complex to automate.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Another photo showed the PD and Animal Control using a contraption with a harness to get the dog out, while the final shot showed the dog safely outside of the dumpster, being taken care of by a police officer.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Founding Drive in 2004, serving as president of Boomerang, and then launching DLO Producciones in 2011, Lorenzo’s battle has been to find an stable financing context and international outlet for his creativity.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
2 May 2025
-
Taken together, this week’s developments highlight how AI is only becoming a bigger friend and/or enemy of creativity.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
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