Synonyms of contrived

contrived 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈtrīvd 

as in strained

lacking in natural or spontaneous quality

the contrived applause of a TV studio audience that has been told when to clap

Synonyms & Similar Words

• strained
• mock
• unnatural
• false
• fake
• exaggerated
• simulated
• artificial
• affected
• mechanical
• forced
• pseudo
• assumed
• feigned
• phoney
• pretended
• theatric
• spurious
• phony
• theatrical
• factitious
• bogus
• plastic
• sham
• cute
• hollow
• put-on
• calculated
• deliberate
• unreal
• manufactured
• empty
• unrealistic
• fabricated
• formal
• concocted
• automatic
• insincere
• canned
• pat
• hypocritical
• labored
• hokey
• facile
• stiff
• melodramatic
• conventional
• unauthentic
• conscious
• cultivated
• wooden
• unctuous
• stylized
• impersonal
• premeditated
• rigid
• histrionic
• overacted
• mealy
• overdone
• mealymouthed
• two-faced
• artful
• studied
• cutesy
• double-dealing
• genteel
• mincing
• inflexible
• simpering
• overrefined
• left-handed
• goody-goody

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• spontaneous
• natural
• genuine
• real
• unaffected
• artless
• realistic
• true
• authentic
• bona fide
• right
• uncontrived
• unforced
• sincere
• ingenuous
• easy
• honest
• unfeigned
• smooth
• effortless
• instinctive
• unconscious
• impromptu
• extemporaneous
• impulsive
• unpretending
• unrehearsed
• unstudied
• unprompted

contrived

2 of 2

verb

past tense of contrive

1

as in concocted

to create or think of by clever use of the imagination

contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concocted
• devised
• constructed
• invented
• designed
• manufactured
• thought (up)
• produced
• cooked (up)
• fabricated
• came up with
• made up
• hatched
• excogitated
• conceived
• trumped up
• vamped (up)
• imagined
• envisioned
• improvised
• drummed up
• dreamt
• dreamed
• visualized
• coined
• envisaged
• fantasized
• daydreamed
• visioned
• extemporized
• ad-libbed
• pictured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• copied
• duplicated
• reproduced
• mimicked
• imitated
• replicated
• cloned
• reduplicated
• copycatted

2

as in plotted

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

• plotted
• schemed
• planned
• conspired
• connived
• intrigued
• colluded
• machinated
• engineered
• concocted
• devised
• designed
• manipulated
• compassed
• hatched
• put up
• cooked (up)
• counterplotted
• maneuvered
• brewed
• shaped
• mapped
• laid out
• framed
• jockeyed

3

as in negotiated

to plan out usually with subtle skill or care

contrived a way of planning the surprise party without their catching on to it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• negotiated
• manipulated
• engineered
• arranged
• plotted
• managed
• maneuvered
• masterminded
• framed
• concluded
• finessed
• wangled
• machinated
• finagled
• concocted
• concerted
• schemed
• worked out
• hammered out
• intrigued
• conducted
• connived
• hatched
• directed
• handled
• angled (for)
• cooked (up)
• brewed
• compassed
• commanded
• run
• gerrymandered
• captained
• ran
• quarterbacked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bungled
• mangled
• butchered
• botched
• fumbled
• blew
• mishandled
• messed (up)
• muffed
• gummed (up)
• flubbed
• bobbled
• loused up

Examples of contrived in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This can often result in new installments that not only feel contrived, but seem to strip away everything that made the original movie compelling in the first place. —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 28 June 2024

Sadly, the same is true of the two leads in Joe Penhall’s contrived, adversarial three-hander about confrontations between a local opposition MP (member of parliament) and her angry constituent. —David Benedict, Variety, 26 June 2024

Investigators believe their disappearance and death were part of a contrived plan between five people, including Tifany Adams, 54, the kids' grandmother who Butler was in a bitter custody battle with. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 22 May 2024

An All-Stars 9 episode where the contrived drama of the ruby slippers built to a true moment of pathos? —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 June 2024