CONTRIVE Synonyms: 93 Similar and Opposite Words

contrive

verb

kən-ˈtrīv

Definition of contrive

as in to devise

to create or think of by clever use of the imagination contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of contrive Both those courts upheld the 2022 statewide congressional map that DeSantis contrived to purge a Black congressman, Al Lawson of Tallahassee. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 June 2026 The work lies in making that interface feel truthful rather than contrived. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Credibility gets strained pretty quickly as the playwrights contrive to get the characters to face each other in person. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 Even his courtship with Bess Wallace was accented by Truman contriving a tennis court for her — the dynamics of which are captured through photos of and letters about his efforts. — Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contrive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrive

Verb

To create objects with collapsibility as a core feature, Toyonaga’s team devised an analytic design algorithm allowing incremental construction of complex scissored surfaces.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Then, in a famous 1937 paper, the mathematician Alan Turing devised a model based on hypothetical machines that could read and write symbols printed on an infinite tape according to a set of simple rules.

— Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of devise

Verb

There’s also growing evidence that building a career inside a firm continues to be a more reliable route to success than trying to plot a path across companies.

— Matthew Bidwell, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Proper later allegedly admitted to plotting the UFC 250 attack and described it in full to the FBI, according to the criminal complaint.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of plot

Verb

The deal was negotiated by Steven Bestwick of The Yellow Affair and Bill Guentzler and RJ Millard on behalf of Obscured Releasing.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
If the lockout does go through all of 2027, do players not accrue any service time or will that be something that is negotiated/resolved when a deal is ultimately reached?

— Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of negotiate

Verb

What makes a roster a championship roster is scheming by accentuating the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
Supposedly scheming to raise rents in order to raise broker fees often pegged to rent prices, Compass went to war with Zillow, the most popular free real estate platform that never charges broker fees.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of scheme

Verb

Still, each guest enjoys their secluded villa, private spa time, and a personal guide to arrange hiking and water excursions like snorkeling and surfing.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Tafoya arranged for five blank checks paid as bribes by a marijuana firm to be cashed with the help of his brother and passed one $10,000 check on to marketer Chavez, according to the plea agreement.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

None of these ideas were invented by Instagram or by women alone; the concept of the attention economy dates to the early 1970s, and the notion that no press is bad press has existed since the 19th century.

— Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
That move by the duo behind Desilu Productions invented the concept of TV syndication and the blueprint for residuals.

— Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of invent

Verb

Finley’s breakout was the 2017 dark comedy Thoroughbreds, in which Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy play high-schoolers conspiring to kill an abusive stepfather.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
That same prose, as rendered by Searls, is evident once again in the new book as the novel’s narrator relates how he was drawn to this mysterious outpost and how the place seems to be conspiring against his leaving there.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of conspire

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“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of contrive

verb

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