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What exactly is a contraption?
In the words of one Little Mermaid, “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty.” It would have been on-theme (though perhaps a bit clunky) for the aquatic princess to include in her siren song the word contraption. Synonymous with both gadget and gizmo, and widget too, in referring to mechanical and electronic devices, contraption is also one of a raft of terms people reach for when talking about various human-made bits and bobs, whether mechanical or not. (It's thought to have possibly been formed as a blend of contrivance, trap, and invention.) Want more thingamabob words? Try doohickey, thingamajig, dingus, or doodad.
Synonyms
Examples of contraption in a Sentence
David Spunt, Fox News, 13 Sep. 2024
The idea was the contraptions would eventually sink, taking the carbon to the bottom of the ocean.
—Bywarren Cornwall, science.org, 29 Aug. 2024
Yet its Twist/D is a whole new take on an instrument that can be traced back to an ancestor invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700, and that contraption progressed to become the most influential and significant instrument in Western music—the piano.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 July 2024
The sleek 2-in-1 contraption features a magnetic charging pad on the top for juicing MagSafe-compatible iPhones and a slower charging pad on the bottom for supplying a pair of wireless earbuds and other accessories with up to 5W of power.
—Brandon Widder, The Verge, 16 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contraption 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contraption.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Contraption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraption. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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contraption
noun
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