contrivance

[kuhn-trahy-vuhns]

noun

1. something contrived; contrived; a device, especially a mechanical one.

2. the act or manner of contriving; the faculty or power of contriving.

3. a plan or scheme; expedient.

contrivance

/ kənˈtraɪvəns /

noun

1. something contrived, esp an ingenious device; contraption

2. the act or faculty of devising or adapting; inventive skill or ability

3. an artificial rather than natural selection or arrangement of details, parts, etc

4. an elaborate or deceitful plan or expedient; stratagem

Other Word Forms

• noncontrivance noun
• precontrivance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of contrivance¹

First recorded in 1620–30; contrive + -ance

Example Sentences

Most market meltdowns have been triggered by some unique new financial contrivance.

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But while the revelation that brings the play to a painful climax has a faint whiff of contrivance about it, the angry confrontation that ensues between Nelson and Nick has a bruising, brutal power.

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But a script with this much contrivance only works if it’s delivered with snap and confidence.

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Yet for all the contrivance, this match-up comes draped in the language of legacy.

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There are those in the F1 paddock who feel that the move is a contrivance, a knee-jerk reaction to a specific set of circumstances that happened to unfold last year.

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Related Words

• artifice 
• gimmick 
• ruse