contrived; contriving
1
: to make schemes
contriver
noun
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
These have almost exclusively been in carefully contrived experiments that almost beg the AI to misbehave—for example, by asking it to pursue its goal at all costs.
—
Harry Booth, Time, 3 June 2025
But inexplicably, Villa contrived to lose the game, thanks in no small part to goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s sending off in the first half for a bizarre body-check on Rasmus Hojlund.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Emond’s script deftly contrives a third act that’s hopeful but still flecked with genuine despair.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
She’s encountered her share of both real and contrived rivalries — par for the course for most pop stars — but never anything explosive enough to disrupt her unbothered aura of tranquility.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
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Harry Booth, Time, 3 June 2025
But inexplicably, Villa contrived to lose the game, thanks in no small part to goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s sending off in the first half for a bizarre body-check on Rasmus Hojlund.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Emond’s script deftly contrives a third act that’s hopeful but still flecked with genuine despair.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
She’s encountered her share of both real and contrived rivalries — par for the course for most pop stars — but never anything explosive enough to disrupt her unbothered aura of tranquility.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrive
Cite this Entry
“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrive. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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