as in strained
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
the contrived applause of a TV studio audience that has been told when to clap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in concocted
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
contrived abstract metal sculptures using old household utensils
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plotted
to engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends
the mischievous boys were always contriving and trying to pull the prank that would be the talk of the school
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in negotiated
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
contrived a way of planning the surprise party without their catching on to it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrived
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
Even if the stakes feel contrived, just enjoy watching two of the game’s greats go at it with a little something on the line, no matter how fleeting the feeling may be.
—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
This time, specific references were stripped away, leaving only a distillation of the dark rage evoked by metal and punk, equal parts elemental and contrived.
—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Adjective
The four-handed conflicts between the weathermen and the generals, however, seem a little too contrived at times.
—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
Even if the stakes feel contrived, just enjoy watching two of the game’s greats go at it with a little something on the line, no matter how fleeting the feeling may be.
—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Prosecutors with the First Judicial District Attorney's Office claim Heskett contrived a story that he had been attacked by a man near a trail in the state park.
—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
This time, specific references were stripped away, leaving only a distillation of the dark rage evoked by metal and punk, equal parts elemental and contrived.
—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contrived
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrived
Adjective
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Then there’s the risk of higher frustration and strained relationships across an organization.
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But for Chris Williams, an 18-year employee of the California Department of Education, the contentious return-to-office process may have teed up a strained relationship with downtown.
Verb
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In the one that opens the film, Forky (Tony Hale), the googly-eyed spork, marries a plastic knife called Karen Beverly (Melissa Villaseñor), a name so perfectly unmelodious that only a kid, or an adult exceptionally good at thinking like one, could have concocted it.
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Every detail is accurate, though the picture as a whole is an invention, concocted from multiple views, locations, and studies.
Verb
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The fair's conferences were held at the Art Institute, and on the current site of La Rabida Hospital was a recreation of the La Rabida convent in Spain, where Columbus plotted his voyages.
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It was plotted, police said, because Arnold suspected that two of the three men were responsible for stealing his property.
Verb
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As officials negotiated over how to permanently end the war in Iran, a separate plan emerged to break the shipping bottleneck through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Some, like Santa Clarita, have come to the table and already negotiated a settlement.
Adjective
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On Thursday, Gary Police Department personnel visited campers to teach about crime scene investigation and create a mock crime scene for students to solve.
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An 11-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell is peering into his Zoom camera, hands pressed to his cheeks and mouth wide open in mock shock.
Verb
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There’s everything from herbals like rhubarb and nettle to green teas and Fortnum’s own signature blends, like Wedding Breakfast or Jubilee, devised in honor of the Queen’s Diamond celebrations in 2012.
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In addition to removing the commission’s direct authority over the chief job, Houston — who devised his proposal with Council President Kevin Jenkins — sought to eliminate a selection panel that appoints four of the commission’s members, allowing the council to handpick them instead.
Verb
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In April 2026, the New England Journal of Medicine retracted a paper after discovering that a clinical image had been manipulated with AI.
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Predictive markets, like sports betting, can be manipulated.
Adjective
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Even after extensive engineering, Coach Eve would take about three seconds to reply to a question—a delay users felt was uncomfortable and unnatural.
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His speech was an unnatural blur.
Cite this Entry
“Contrived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrived. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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