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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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
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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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Recent Examples of contrive
The team of graphic designers behind Meow Wolf even contrives mini comics based on these realms so readers can get a pulse of how alive these worlds are.
—
Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The mystery is less about who’s involved in the game afoot, as alert audiences piecing together context clues will be immediately aware of those nefarious parties upon their introductions, and is more about the puzzling lengths the filmmakers go to in planting contrived red herrings.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
Many legends who were part of the WNBA’s early years—the league debuted in 1997—have shared stories about how the fledgling brand stuffed star players into narrow feminine molds that sometimes felt contrived.
—Timeka Tounsel, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
None more so than how Conor Coady and Arthur Okonkwo contrived to gift Burrell the third goal from what was effectively an aimless long punt forward.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrive
Verb
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Last summer, researchers devised a method to translate internal representations of sentences from one language model to another.—
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Of all the schemes that humans have devised to keep sea lions from gorging on the salmon of the Columbia River basin, none has worked for long.—
Verb
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But in wrapping up a six-month investigation last month, independent counsel Cho’s team concluded that Yoon plotted for over a year to impose martial law to eliminate his political rivals and monopolize power.—
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Just last month, police charged a 17-year-old in Indiana linked to TCC who was allegedly plotting to carry out an attack.—
Verb
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Still, the legislative session frequently goes past the target end date as lawmakers negotiate over the final details of bills and the state budget.—
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Players with more than three years of service time can use arbitration to negotiate their salaries for an upcoming season, and Skubal has more than five years in.—
Verb
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Joseph’s schemes and ability to concoct defensive chemistry are major reasons Denver (14-3) earned the AFC’s top seed, a first-round bye, and a date with the Bills in the divisional playoffs on Saturday at Empower Field at Mile High.—
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Let natural greenery rule in tall vases, design a whole table setting on a new color, or concoct a signature drink that matches the theme in color and flavor.—
Verb
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McDaniels schemed a few targets that had receivers open but nonetheless fell incomplete (DeMario Douglas' drop in the third quarter, and an incompletion sailed wide to Rhamondre Stevenson in the second quarter).—
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While in federal prison, a father and son schemed to sell and ship drugs to North Carolina.—
Verb
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Two years later, his son having attained A levels in English, maths and sciences, Ramírez’s father flew to Europe to arrange for his further education.—
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Her first such patient was unable to arrange an in-person office visit.—
Verb
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What a slap in the face to the folks who’ve studied, who’ve researched, who’ve invented, who’ve saved lives, who’ve fought for their lives, who’ve lost their lives, who’ve devoted their lives to keeping that last group as small as possible.—
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Those are not our gestures; those were invented by these wonderful actors.—
Verb
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Also, didn’t Trump just pardon Juan Orlando Hernández, the former Honduran President, who had been sentenced to forty-five years in federal prison for conspiring to import four hundred tons of cocaine into the United States?—
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But focusing on integrated schools—especially in the many communities where the demographics conspire against it—can detract from ensuring that the least well-off students receive a quality education.—
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrive. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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