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View synonyms for contrivance

contrivance

[ kuhn-trahy-vuhns ]

noun

  1. something contrived; contrived; a device, especially a mechanical one.
  2. the act or manner of contriving; the faculty or power of contriving.
  3. a plan or scheme; expedient.


contrivance

/ kənˈtraɪvəns /

noun

  1. something contrived, esp an ingenious device; contraption
  2. the act or faculty of devising or adapting; inventive skill or ability
  3. an artificial rather than natural selection or arrangement of details, parts, etc
  4. an elaborate or deceitful plan or expedient; stratagem


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Other Words From

  • noncon·trivance noun
  • precon·trivance noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of contrivance1

First recorded in 1620–30; contrive + -ance

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Example Sentences

While I’m sure it makes perfect sense to the algorithm, the result is an exceedingly strange, questionably authentic mix of moods, genre conventions and contrivances.

From Time

Despite reality TV being a buzzing hive of manipulations and contrivances, the captain says Sailing Yacht remains, at least in its filming methods, pure.

Here, however, the novel ends with unearned sentimentality and cheap contrivance.

The endless succession of quotation marks is its own contrivance, a scrim between Shields and the world.

Baseball: "an incredibly complex contrivance that seems to have been created by a chauvinistic mathematician."

He dwelt upon this contrivance, until it seemed too complicated for success.

The latter seems to have suggested the contrivance and the former to have done the practical work.

"It was by Marius's contrivance that he was placed sentry over the girl," he heard her tell Fortunio, and he thought she sneered.

Such a contrivance helps to improve the leeway of so shallow a boat, although not proportionately to the area immersed.

Toward the latter part of his sickness, a rude contrivance was adopted to change his position in bed.

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contritioncontrive