Showing results for "devised"

• past participle of devise.
• past tense form of devise.

devised

American  

[dih-vahyzd] / dɪˈvaɪzd /

adjective

1. contrived, planned, invented, or designed.

   It’s a dark comedy about a couple of guys who embark on a poorly devised scheme to blackmail a local clergyman.

2. Theater. (of a play) having a script produced collaboratively by the performers rather than by a writer or playwright.

   Previous works of the Holwell Youth Troupe include a chilling ghost story and a devised piece on the topic of love.

3. Law. (of property) assigned or transmitted by will.

   When specifically devised property is no longer in the testator's estate, the beneficiary's gift fails.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of devise.

Other Word Forms

• self-devised
  adjective
• undevised
  adjective
• well-devised
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of devised

devise ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

devised

Open Dialogue was first devised in the 1980s in Finland.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Working with Venn, Woolley and Woodley, Zucker devised the show to include a rotating cast of clowns, and comedic performers from around the world, including L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

The U.S. is likely to lower tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and autos as part of a trade framework being devised by the nations, according to people with knowledge of the negotiations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

When the Secret Service devised a plan to transport Bill Clinton from India to Pakistan in 2000, it was similar to the plan that Trump employed on July 8.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Russo, who helped out many nights, devised the time-saving innovation of taping two strips of cardboard to the glass of the Xerox machine.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin