Contrive
verb
To plan carefully or cleverly, often in a secretive way.
She contrived a plan to make her parents agree to her going on a vacation
Often appears as...
- contrive a plan
- contrive a scheme
verb
To think up or create something, particularly using skill or imagination.
He contrived a mechanism to open the window automatically
Often appears as...
- contrive a mechanism
- contrive a device
verb
To make something happen, especially by using clever tactics or deceit.
They contrived an opportunity to meet the celebrity
Often appears as...
- contrive an opportunity
- contrive a meeting
verb
To plan carefully or cleverly, often in a secretive way.
She contrived a plan to make her parents agree to her going on a vacation
Often appears as...
- contrive a plan
- contrive a scheme
verb
To think up or create something, particularly using skill or imagination.
He contrived a mechanism to open the window automatically
Often appears as...
- contrive a mechanism
- contrive a device
verb
To make something happen, especially by using clever tactics or deceit.
They contrived an opportunity to meet the celebrity
Often appears as...
- contrive an opportunity
- contrive a meeting
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Plans
Use 'contrive' when suggesting clever planning done in secret, not something done openly.
She contrived to surprise her friend with a secret party.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Contrive' sometimes implies dishonesty or artificiality in ones actions or plans.
The carefully contrived excuses didn't convince anyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Overuse
Use 'contrive' sparingly; it's a precise word best used for specific situations requiring ingenuity.
He contrived a method to solve the puzzle quickly.
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Plans
Use 'contrive' when suggesting clever planning done in secret, not something done openly.
She contrived to surprise her friend with a secret party.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Contrive' sometimes implies dishonesty or artificiality in ones actions or plans.
The carefully contrived excuses didn't convince anyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Overuse
Use 'contrive' sparingly; it's a precise word best used for specific situations requiring ingenuity.
He contrived a method to solve the puzzle quickly.
Pro Tip 1/3Secret Plans
Use 'contrive' when suggesting clever planning done in secret, not something done openly.
She contrived to surprise her friend with a secret party.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Contrive' sometimes implies dishonesty or artificiality in ones actions or plans.
The carefully contrived excuses didn't convince anyone.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid Overuse
Use 'contrive' sparingly; it's a precise word best used for specific situations requiring ingenuity.
He contrived a method to solve the puzzle quickly.
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Video examples
Battling bad science -...
the absolute weakest form of evidence known to man and that is Authority in science don't care how many letters you have after your name in science we want to know what your reasons are for believing something how do you know that something is good for us or bad for us but we're also unimpressed by Authority because it's so easy to contrive this is
Video examples
Earthships: A House Made...
want to get rid of garbage why don't we try to build out of garbage it started to be kind of a contrived effort to recycle and has ended up the best way I know of to be able to regardless of recycling hey China Senna
Video examples
The most mysterious star...
well, how about a huge swarm of comets that are passing by this star in a very elliptical orbit? Well, it ends up that this is actually consistent with our observations. But I agree, it does feel a little contrived.
Video examples
Battling bad science -...
the absolute weakest form of evidence known to man and that is Authority in science don't care how many letters you have after your name in science we want to know what your reasons are for believing something how do you know that something is good for us or bad for us but we're also unimpressed by Authority because it's so easy to contrive this is
Video examples
Earthships: A House Made...
want to get rid of garbage why don't we try to build out of garbage it started to be kind of a contrived effort to recycle and has ended up the best way I know of to be able to regardless of recycling hey China Senna
Video examples
The most mysterious star...
well, how about a huge swarm of comets that are passing by this star in a very elliptical orbit? Well, it ends up that this is actually consistent with our observations. But I agree, it does feel a little contrived.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Scott Gottlieb
American Public Servant
The truth is that the greatest innovations in health-care delivery haven't come from federally contrived oligopolies or enormous hospital chains. Novel concepts - whether practice-management companies, home health care or the first for-profit HMO - almost always have come from entrepreneurial firms, often backed by venture capital.
Quote examples
Steven Wright
American Comedian
I don't go off and sit down and try to write material, because then it's contrived and forced. I just live my life, and I see things in a word or a situation or a concept, and it will create a joke for me.
Quote examples
Niccolo Machiavelli
Italian Writer
War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.
Quote examples
Lily Allen
English Musician
I don't really see how any song can not feel contrived if it isn't honest, and how could I write honest songs if I don't write about stuff going on in my life and how I'm feeling?
Quote examples
Usher
American Musician
Marketing is more important than it has ever been. But I'm trying to tear the layers back and make it not so contrived. I think people just want entertainment.
Quote examples
John F. Kennedy
American President
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.
Quote examples
Rex Stout
American Writer
A character who is thought-out is not born, he or she is contrived. A born character is round, a thought-out character is flat.
Quote examples
Naveen Andrews
British Actor
If a character's suddenly spouting information that's supposed to bring you up to date, it can seem artificial or contrived.
Quote examples
Sam Shepard
American Playwright
Personality is everything that's false in a human: everything that's been added on to him and contrived.
Quote examples
Andrew Jackson
American President
The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality.
Quote examples
Scott Gottlieb
American Public Servant
The truth is that the greatest innovations in health-care delivery haven't come from federally contrived oligopolies or enormous hospital chains. Novel concepts - whether practice-management companies, home health care or the first for-profit HMO - almost always have come from entrepreneurial firms, often backed by venture capital.
Quote examples
Steven Wright
American Comedian
I don't go off and sit down and try to write material, because then it's contrived and forced. I just live my life, and I see things in a word or a situation or a concept, and it will create a joke for me.
Quote examples
Niccolo Machiavelli
Italian Writer
War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.
Quote examples
Lily Allen
English Musician
I don't really see how any song can not feel contrived if it isn't honest, and how could I write honest songs if I don't write about stuff going on in my life and how I'm feeling?
Quote examples
Usher
American Musician
Marketing is more important than it has ever been. But I'm trying to tear the layers back and make it not so contrived. I think people just want entertainment.
Quote examples
John F. Kennedy
American President
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.
Quote examples
Rex Stout
American Writer
A character who is thought-out is not born, he or she is contrived. A born character is round, a thought-out character is flat.
Quote examples
Naveen Andrews
British Actor
If a character's suddenly spouting information that's supposed to bring you up to date, it can seem artificial or contrived.
Quote examples
Sam Shepard
American Playwright
Personality is everything that's false in a human: everything that's been added on to him and contrived.
Quote examples
Andrew Jackson
American President
The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality.
Example 1 of 10
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