contrive

verb

con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv 

contrived; contriving

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 household utensils from stone

Native Americans contrived weapons out of stone, wood, and bone.

2

: to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty : manage

he contrived to win their support

intransitive verb

: to make schemes

contriver noun

Synonyms

• concoct
• construct
• cook (up)
• devise
• drum up
• excogitate
• fabricate
• invent
• make up
• manufacture
• think (up)
• trump up
• vamp (up)

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

Walt Disney himself could not have contrived a better (or faster) voice for one of his unlikely talking animals. —Louis J. Esterhazy, WWD, 20 Feb. 2025

In fact, America’s interests are undermined when aid is poorly contrived and not rigorously evaluated. —Ted Yoho, TIME, 13 Feb. 2025

Not all movies need to serve up profound insights into the human condition, but the ones that don’t should at least be entertaining, and Twohy’s particular strain of absurdism is not just contrived, but deeply unfunny. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025

The moral guardrails that hold our society together are not anything contrived by humans, but given by God. —Lauren Green, Fox News, 17 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for contrive

• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive
• deprive
• derive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive
• five

Kids 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