1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards
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2
as in invention
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
despite the many modern contrivances for saving time and labor, we seem to have less leisure and energy than ever before
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
in that writer's hands, narrative contrivance can often deteriorate into pointless gimmickry
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrivance
In such an instance, the loosey-goosey facets might allow for a great deal of confusion, finger-pointing, and slippery contrivances.
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Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Without contrivance or overdramatization, Kapadia allows these characters’ stories to trickle into our consciousness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Instead, there’s an eventual pileup of scheming contrivances that require us to believe a character painted all along as sweetly uncomplicated was really harboring the deviousness of a criminal mastermind.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
Two things keep this contrivance held together in tenuous balance: a clear dramatic framework and Coppola’s sheer strength of feeling.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrivance 
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Without contrivance or overdramatization, Kapadia allows these characters’ stories to trickle into our consciousness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Instead, there’s an eventual pileup of scheming contrivances that require us to believe a character painted all along as sweetly uncomplicated was really harboring the deviousness of a criminal mastermind.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
Two things keep this contrivance held together in tenuous balance: a clear dramatic framework and Coppola’s sheer strength of feeling.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
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Published on January 10, 2025 By Bryan Hood Lenovo/LG/Halliday/Honda For tech obsessives and gadget junkies there’s no better time of the year than the beginning of January.Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2025
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Others might race to adopt the latest gadget or piece of software, but a back-to-basics approach has proven immensely effective in the digital age.William Mullane, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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And with the invention of the internet, all those average people started generating a lot of data.Sigal Samuel, Vox, 6 Jan. 2025
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Using a steam engine to turn a large propeller, his invention lifted off from the Paris Hippodrome and flew through the air for roughly 20 miles, per Encyclopedia Britannica.Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Fun fact: Snuffleupagus was a figment of Big Bird's imagination until 1985.1 Cookie Monster Cookie Monster, the bright blue, furry monster, is the ultimate cookie lover.Casey Clark, Parents, 16 Jan. 2025
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Few doubted the power of his vision and imagination, though naysayers questioned his logical thread.Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The tour emphasizes financial literacy and provides critical tools to help students navigate the cost of college while empowering them to pursue their dreams.Melissa Noel, Essence, 8 Jan. 2025
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There are so many tutorials for Blender, even more than for the big traditional tools.Jamie Lang, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For Schneider National, innovation remains a collaborative effort.Peter High, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
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Many of the objects show innovations in medicine, such as a curved scalpel designed by Louis XIV’s royal surgeon, Charles-François Félix.Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There are chase scenes, contraptions to operate, tricky platforms to get past and puzzles to solve.The New York Times, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
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Even better: Despite the fear that may accompany placing a contraption so close to your eyeballs, high-quality eyelash curlers do the trick without pinching or pulling.Lindsay Colameo, Allure, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The Lunar Codex was created by Samuel Peralta, a physicist and author, who came up with the idea of sharing our collective creativity with the heavens during the dark days of the pandemic lockdowns.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2025
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In each of the five rounds, when O’Malley starts to show even a spark of his usual creativity and threat, Dvalishvili stuffs him.Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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