contrive

verb

con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv How to pronounce contrive (audio)
contrived; contriving

transitive verb

1
a
: devise, plan
contrive ways of handling the situation
The prisoners contrived a way to escape.
b
: to form or create in an artistic or ingenious manner
contrived household utensils from stone
Native Americans contrived weapons out of stone, wood, and bone.
2
: to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty : manage
he contrived to win their support

intransitive verb

: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English controven, contreven, from Anglo-French controver, contrever, from Medieval Latin contropare to compare, from Latin com- + Vulgar Latin *tropare to compose, find — more at troubadour

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of contrive was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrive. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

contrive

verb
con·​trive kən-ˈtrīv How to pronounce contrive (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on contrive

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