1
as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plot
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
3
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
contrived a way of planning the surprise party without their catching on to it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrive
Parents can expect to see a diverse leading cast, that doesn't feel contrived at all but rather, shows what high-level officials, politicians, soldiers, and world leaders look like in the real world.
—
Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 14 Feb. 2025
Even Belinda’s presence in Thailand still feels contrived to me.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
And the overt nod to the sinking of the Titanic feels contrived, since there is little obvious connection between the 1912 maritime disaster and the political intrigues of 17th-century Denmark.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
Back then, the weather was an easy way to contrive narrative tension for a story whose ending felt too obvious.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 14 Feb. 2025
Even Belinda’s presence in Thailand still feels contrived to me.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
And the overt nod to the sinking of the Titanic feels contrived, since there is little obvious connection between the 1912 maritime disaster and the political intrigues of 17th-century Denmark.
—Houman Barekat, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025
Back then, the weather was an easy way to contrive narrative tension for a story whose ending felt too obvious.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrive
Verb
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Despite the entrenched ethical norms of the legal profession, educational institutions at every level should devise strategies designed to improve the public’s understanding of government and its critical intersection with the rule of law.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Vince McMahon has devised various gimmicks and names for wrestlers while running WWE over the last several decades.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Less than a month into the job, Trump and the Japanese Prime Minister plotted their response to a North Korean missile launch in the open-air patio of Mar a Lago, photos of which ended up on Facebook.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Mar. 2025
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Charity workers had plotted the heights and weights of Daasanach children on World Health Organization charts—the same ones our pediatrician used to monitor my daughter’s growth—and determined that more than two-thirds of the kids were malnourished.—
Manvir Singh,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Michael Barbaro speaks to Thomas Sipp, a lawyer who chose to quit after his firm, Skadden, negotiated a deal to placate the president. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture.—
Michael Barbaro,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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During his first term, Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by President Barack Obama and reinstated sanctions in an attempt to put maximum pressure on the country.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Some are concocting nostalgic scrapbooks and others are knitting cozy blankets or adorable sweaters.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Mar. 2025
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At that point, the writers gathered to familiarize themselves (for the first time) with the original show and began concocting various excuses for having big-name stars floating in and out of the Bradys’ new life in Malibu.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Robert Trebor, who portrayed the serial killer known as the Son of Sam in a CBS telefilm and the scheming merchant Salmoneus on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its sister series, Xena: Warrior Princess, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Apr. 2025
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Between the godmothers’ grief and a less-than-adequate police department, Lila will have to seek justice on her own terms and figure out which scheming godmother the vendetta was meant for.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Oz: On [Richard’s] birthday, Laura arranged for maybe a dozen Civil War reenactors to come galloping onto the set.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
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But the human author was a sort of conductor: prompting, arranging, intervening.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In 1973, Bob Metcalfe and David Boggs invented Ethernet and implemented the first local-area network or LAN at Xerox Parc.—
Gil Press,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
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These three teams invented the Tables, Ladders, & Chairs matches, which are now considered classic wrestling moments.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Howard’s agent, Charles Briscoe, had conspired with Darden, which gave Howard more of a reason to believe the transactions were legitimate.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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The bigger concern, though, is how all of these augmentations and enhancements seem to conspire to hide the shortcomings of BMW’s design decisions but aren’t successful in doing so.—
Bradley Iger,
ArsTechnica,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrive. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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