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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrived
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
That means going well beyond contrived jobs like flyball, obedience trials, and canine musical freestyle.
—Jessica Pierce, TIME, 15 Dec. 2024
But that is all quite contrived; pretending this was anything other than a worrying night for Kompany would be disingenuous.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Eric Dane is cast as Weaving’s bodyguard and only hope of escaping the contrived wedding planned by her obsessed fan.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Adjective
Wear: Our critic explains how to style men’s white jeans without looking too contrived.
Boost: Can supplements do anything for your immune system?
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
That means going well beyond contrived jobs like flyball, obedience trials, and canine musical freestyle.
—Jessica Pierce, TIME, 15 Dec. 2024
But that is all quite contrived; pretending this was anything other than a worrying night for Kompany would be disingenuous.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Eric Dane is cast as Weaving’s bodyguard and only hope of escaping the contrived wedding planned by her obsessed fan.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrived
Adjective
-
The conference illuminated the increasingly strained relationship between Israel and its traditional allies in the West, which have grown uneasy with Israeli politics and the direction of the country’s devastating war in Gaza.—
Julia Frankel and Leo Correa,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Enter left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., who had not pitched in five weeks because of a strained elbow flexor.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Desperate for more space, the city negotiated an initial $40 million deal with the Row, still in financial straits from the pandemic.—
Luis Ferré-Sadurní,
New York Times,
23 Dec. 2024
-
However, as lawmakers negotiated that year’s finance legislation, some believed the government needed stronger transparency legislation.—
Nana Ama Sarfo,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
This is the version (1.0) version of his mock draft, and there could easily be revisions made necessary by trades, medical history and players rising and falling.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2025
-
One surprising faller in the latest mock draft from Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report is top tight end prospect Tyler Warren.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
That should become a standard part of the chain-of-thoughts being devised by AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
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Similarly, Ping’s team devised a system that pauses the pH-modulating current just long enough for a graphene transistor to record accurate readings without interference.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The book, which was written in 1948, focuses on the consequences of totalitarianism, the government’s mass surveillance of the public and how truth and fact can be manipulated.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
3 Jan. 2025
-
The actor who plays Sofia Falcone in the HBO series never went method (unlike some Batman villains), but the part required tapping into a character who has been gaslit, manipulated, and isolated from society in every way.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
To such animals, friendship is utterly unnatural, entirely a product of will.—
Ann Hulbert,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
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The phrase has been heard more and more this century as states reveal themselves to be less than resilient in the face of natural and unnatural disasters.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Even the bed—a plush, temperature-regulating masterpiece—felt like it had been engineered specifically to cradle you into the best rest of your life.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
30 Dec. 2024
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While there is entertainment from a live DJ, the Guest House is acoustically engineered for conversation, with music layered into the ambiance.—
Melinda Sheckells,
The Hollywood Reporter,
29 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Kim Soo Hyun also claimed that many text messages that had been distributed online, purportedly between him and Kim Sae-ron, were false.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Nothing progressive or compassionate about continuing that false hope which attracts people to make those journeys.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrived. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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