as in to concoct
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
she quickly devised a new scheme when the first one failed
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Recent Examples of devise
This was a period when literary critics had real power and were devising new ways of reading—focused on the fluidity of language and the instability of textual meaning—that reshaped the humanities and social sciences.
—
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
But as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season nears, many Floridians are bracing for the storm, and that includes buying a hurricane preparedness kit, getting the hurricane shutters out of the garage, and/or devising what to do with your car.
—Jennifer Sangalang, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
But the scenes she’s devised for these sympathetically difficult oddballs go nowhere.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
In a set of classified documents that one government official bravely saved and later published, the concreteness with which the lies were devised is apparent.
—Lauren Cassidy, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devise
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
But as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season nears, many Floridians are bracing for the storm, and that includes buying a hurricane preparedness kit, getting the hurricane shutters out of the garage, and/or devising what to do with your car.
—Jennifer Sangalang, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
But the scenes she’s devised for these sympathetically difficult oddballs go nowhere.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
In a set of classified documents that one government official bravely saved and later published, the concreteness with which the lies were devised is apparent.
—Lauren Cassidy, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devise
Verb
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For decades, astronomers have concocted intricate computer models to predict how stars live and die.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
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Just how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will concoct and deploy that approach, of course, will be a work in progress.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Major motion pictures partnering with brands to promote movies is the norm now, a practice that has evolved as quickly as technology has since the iPhone was invented in 2007, which can sometimes feel like an attack on your nervous system.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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The city doesn’t need to invent a solution.—
Louis Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nguyen and Akhavan also worked with architects and engineers to make the necessary alternations to Canada’s permanent building in the Giardini, while protecting the tree that it is constructed around.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
6 May 2026
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Large infrastructure projects like this one are complex — a two-mile bridge can’t be designed or constructed overnight.—
Katie Thomson,
Baltimore Sun,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devise. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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