contrived; contriving
1
: to make schemes
contriver
noun
Synonyms
Examples of contrive in a Sentence
The prisoners contrived a way to escape.
He contrived a meeting with the president.
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s a problem, because the emphasis on minor personality conflicts between the riders feels contrived, especially given that all these folks seem to be as nice as they are talented.
—
Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
Conclave also adds a few too many contrived twists in its quest for narrative drama, but the movie moves nimbly enough to avoid a collapse into pure fantasy.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
So officials have implemented a triage system, working on long-term plans to install cooling systems across the district while contriving temporary fixes like portable air conditioners or floor fans for the hottest classrooms, DiNardi said.
—Joan Meiners and Katie Worth, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024
What makes this especially beguiling is that the fakery is usually hard to spot and tends to be contrived in a manner that leads you to believe the output is true.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrive 
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Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
Conclave also adds a few too many contrived twists in its quest for narrative drama, but the movie moves nimbly enough to avoid a collapse into pure fantasy.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2024
So officials have implemented a triage system, working on long-term plans to install cooling systems across the district while contriving temporary fixes like portable air conditioners or floor fans for the hottest classrooms, DiNardi said.
—Joan Meiners and Katie Worth, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024
What makes this especially beguiling is that the fakery is usually hard to spot and tends to be contrived in a manner that leads you to believe the output is true.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrive
Dictionary Entries Near contrive
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrive. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contrive
verb
con·trive
kən-ˈtrīv 
contrived; contriving
1
: plan entry 2 sense 1, plot
contrive a way to escape
2
: to form or make in a skillful or clever way : invent
3
: bring about, manage
contriving to make ends meet
contriver
noun
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