1
as in gadget
an interesting and often novel device with a practical use
a new contrivance for cleaning computer keyboards
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2
as in invention
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
despite the many modern contrivances for saving time and labor, we seem to have less leisure and energy than ever before
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
in that writer's hands, narrative contrivance can often deteriorate into pointless gimmickry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrivance
The dialogue is overwrought, the plot contrivances are gratuitous, and the show has never been more fun.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The script, also by Ahn, leans slightly too much on contrivances to nudge the relationship along.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Ponies is overly reliant on coincidences and characters making unlikely mistakes to keep the plot moving, and all that contrivance leads to some Swiss-cheese-like plotting in the season’s back half.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
In another area of the factory, machines installed four years earlier already lack certain even-more-modern contrivances.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
The script, also by Ahn, leans slightly too much on contrivances to nudge the relationship along.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
Ponies is overly reliant on coincidences and characters making unlikely mistakes to keep the plot moving, and all that contrivance leads to some Swiss-cheese-like plotting in the season’s back half.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2026
In another area of the factory, machines installed four years earlier already lack certain even-more-modern contrivances.
—Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
-
The cordless cleaning gadget has powerful suction that cleans hardwood floors and carpets with ease.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
-
But while Batman tends to save lives with a plethora of gadgets and advanced combat techniques, the actor playing him wound up needing nothing more than the good old-fashioned Heimlich maneuver.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The Brooklynite was an invention of the bar at the Stork Club, the most famous nightclub in New York.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
6 June 2026
-
For the unfamiliar, jibaritos are a Chicago invention deeply tied to the city's Puerto Rican population, and here, Irizarry and friends fry plantains to a tostone-perfection.—
Jessi Roti,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
The ‘Big River’ captured Mark Twain’s imagination.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
-
And for venture capital, imagination may remain the most important signal of all.—
Anna Demeo,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
And a health system’s ability to schedule surgeries is gated not just by the availability of doctors and nurses, but also by its ability to maintain a constant flow of clean, reusable medical tools to its operating rooms.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
Josh Mattison, executive vice president of digital revenue pricing, planning and operations at Disney, who reports to Ferro, said in an interview that Ferro made a point to learn the ins and outs of the digital tools at Disney’s disposal.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The astronomical pay package and eye-popping performance targets are on brand for Musk, whose track record of innovation is perhaps matched only by his thirst for attention.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
Applicants may interpret topics such as climate justice, corporate greenwashing, Indigenous rights, material innovation, wildlife and biodiversity, waste and pollution, grassroots activism, recycling and circularity, and the physical and mental impacts of the climate crisis.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
These genius contraptions help remove moisture from the air and can make a big difference in cooling down the house.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
-
Eisler showed him how to position himself on a metal-and-wood contraption called a reformer.—
Natalie Meade,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
That spirit still drives the family today, even as each sibling approaches creativity from a different angle.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
6 June 2026
-
However, bringing the villa to life has required a surprising amount of time, materials and creativity.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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