contrive
to plan with ingenuity; devise; invent: The author contrived a clever plot.
to bring about or effect by a plan, scheme, or the like; manage: He contrived to gain their votes.
to plot (evil, treachery, etc.).
to form designs; plan.
to plot.
Origin of contrive
1synonym study For contrive
Other words for contrive
Other words from contrive
- con·triv·a·ble, adjective
- con·triv·er, noun
- pre·con·trive, verb, pre·con·trived, pre·con·triv·ing.
- un·con·triv·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use contrive in a sentence
If any of her work were turned into a screenplay, there would be no need to contrive sets or costumes.
World class: Remembering legendary travel writer Jan Morris | Liza Weisstuch | December 10, 2020 | Washington PostWonderful ingenuity has been shown in contriving a means to enable people to ascend the Wetterhorn Mountain in Switzerland.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge | VariousBefore church time walking with my father in the garden contriving.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete | Samuel PepysNow they were this day contriving to get her presently to marry one Hayes that was there, and I did seem to persuade her to it.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete | Samuel PepysMy thoughts had been almost entirely occupied in contriving means to get into prison.
Fox's Book of Martyrs | John Foxe
Rash young creatures, elder of them hardly above five-and-twenty yet: not good at contriving measures.
History Of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. VII. (of XXI.) | Thomas Carlyle
British Dictionary definitions for contrive
/ (kənˈtraɪv) /
(tr) to manage (something or to do something), esp by means of a trick; engineer: he contrived to make them meet
(tr) to think up or adapt ingeniously or elaborately: he contrived a new mast for the boat
to plot or scheme (treachery, evil, etc)
Origin of contrive
1Derived forms of contrive
- contrivable, adjective
- contriver, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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