Contrive

//kənˈtɹaɪv// verb

verb ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To invent by an exercise of ingeniosity; to devise

    "[…]I cannot bear the idea of two young women traveling post by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody."

  2. 2
    come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort wordnet
  3. 3
    To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation.
  4. 4
    put or send forth wordnet
  5. 5
    To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light.
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    make or work out a plan for; devise wordnet
  2. 7
    To spend (time, or a period). obsolete, transitive

Synonyms

All synonyms
inventplanprojectanglearrangebe so

Example

More examples

"He doesn’t know what causes it, but just wait. He’ll contrive an explanation."

Etymology

From Middle English contreve (“to invent”), from Old French controver (Modern French controuver), from trover (“to find”) (French trouver).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.