contrive

1 of 2

verb

con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv How to pronounce contrive (audio)
contrived; contriving; contrives
Synonyms of contrive

transitive verb

1
a
: devise, plan
contrive ways of handling the situation
The prisoners contrived a way to escape.
b
: to form or create in an artistic or ingenious manner
… contrived a device to smoke out moles …—Jeff Heinz
2
: to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty : manage
He contrived to win their support.

intransitive verb

: to make schemes
contriver noun

contriver

2 of 2

noun

con·​triv·​er
kən-ˈtrīv-ər
plural -s
: one that contrives
hasty contriver of popular fiction—A. C. Ward
contrivers of leisure-time activities—Mary McCarthy
an excellent contriver in housekeeping—Oliver Goldsmith

Synonyms of contrive

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Verb

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Examples of contrive in a Sentence

Verb The prisoners contrived a way to escape. He contrived a meeting with the president.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The entire deal felt cheesy and contrived. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026 The work lies in making that interface feel truthful rather than contrived. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Even if the stakes feel contrived, just enjoy watching two of the game’s greats go at it with a little something on the line, no matter how fleeting the feeling may be. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026 New quarterback Anthony Colandrea brings a degree of swag that is not contrived. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contrive

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English controven, contreven, from Anglo-French controver, contrever, from Medieval Latin contropare to compare, from Latin com- + Vulgar Latin *tropare to compose, find

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of contrive was in the 14th century

Rhymes for contrive

See All Rhymes for contrive

Browse Nearby Words

contrivancy
contrive
contrived
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contrive

verb
con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv How to pronounce contrive (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on contrive

Nglish: Translation of contrive for Spanish Speakers

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