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What exactly is a contraption?
In the words of one Little Mermaid, “I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty.” It would have been on-theme (though perhaps a bit clunky) for the aquatic princess to include in her siren song the word contraption. Synonymous with both gadget and gizmo, and widget too, in referring to mechanical and electronic devices, contraption is also one of a raft of terms people reach for when talking about various human-made bits and bobs, whether mechanical or not. (It's thought to have possibly been formed as a blend of contrivance, trap, and invention.) Want more thingamabob words? Try doohickey, thingamajig, dingus, or doodad.
Examples of contraption in a Sentence
Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Back at the Dutton ranch, Jacob and Jack (Darren Man) are assembling some sort of contraption that could pass for a torture tool.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2025
The exhibition, showcasing the creative work of independent builders from around the globe, will include choppers, café racers, and even some radical contraptions for which no generic description applies.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2025
In the center of the contraption, a PVC pipe hung down and curled under itself like a great proboscis.
—Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraption
Cite this Entry
“Contraption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contraption. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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contraption
noun
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