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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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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Recent Examples of contrivance
Often this involves teasing out the emotional possibilities of game-design contrivances.
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Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
In the late nineteen-nineties, Back was an obscure English cryptographer known for a contrivance called hashcash, one of the many conceptual forerunners to Bitcoin.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
The first episode of Daryl Dixon Season 2 is so poorly written, with so many contrivances, plot holes and rookie mistakes, I am left with zero faith in the rest of the season.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Still, Hoffman’s demanding and radical view of documentary filmmaking and its inherent contrivances was artistically fruitful, not as a dictate to other filmmakers but a guiding light for his own work.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrivance 
Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
In the late nineteen-nineties, Back was an obscure English cryptographer known for a contrivance called hashcash, one of the many conceptual forerunners to Bitcoin.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024
The first episode of Daryl Dixon Season 2 is so poorly written, with so many contrivances, plot holes and rookie mistakes, I am left with zero faith in the rest of the season.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Still, Hoffman’s demanding and radical view of documentary filmmaking and its inherent contrivances was artistically fruitful, not as a dictate to other filmmakers but a guiding light for his own work.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contrivance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrivance
Noun
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Kodak Mobile Film Scanner Amazon 10 Kodak Mobile Film Scanner $35 Amazon $35 Nordstrom The family archivist will appreciate this handy little gadget, which scans old negatives and saves them straight to your giftee’s iPhone or Android.Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 5 Nov. 2024
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Last year the agency also launched a podcast called CISA Live, whose monthly episodes offer the same message alongside discussions of Chinese cyber threats and advice on what gadgets to buy as gifts for the holidays.Simon Shuster, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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PolitiFact examined some of the pages that regularly spread content touting Musk and his fake inventions.Loreben Tuquero, Austin American-Statesman, 26 Nov. 2024
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At the time of its invention over 80 years ago, the PPK inspired an entirely new category in the firearm industry, now widely known as the concealed carry pistol.Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But the winning project also brings forth the idea that cinema can help preserve dying worlds while at the same time enriching our imagination with new possibilities of being together and of making films.Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024
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Do your research, ask direct questions and formulate an enticing plan that captures the imagination of everyone involved.Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
Noun
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These tools ensure precise incisions and minimal scarring.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
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To help small businesses succeed, said Friedrich, Amazon offers a wide range of new and improved tools and services and creates programs to help increase their visibility among Amazon customers to drive their business growth.Alexandra Pastore, WWD, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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As the crypto landscape continues to evolve with more innovations, BNB Chain will snatch the limelight from others as a rising star in the digital financial realm.Jon Stojan, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Nichols went on to explain that the partnership was a natural fit between the two brands and an alignment of values: luxury and innovation.Kanika Talwar, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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So the question becomes, how did the American founders, justifiably famous for their political wisdom, burden us with the strange contraption called the Electoral College?Joseph J. Ellis, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024
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In an era of smartphones, fitness tracking watches and always-listening speakers, there’s no shortage of contraptions to wake us up via an assortment of sounds.Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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This positive, forward-thinking approach can inspire voluntary compliance and unlock a wave of creativity in the commercial real estate sector.Ali Hoss, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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This too carries a whiff of desperation, as though people are intentionally putting on a brave face and shoving forward symbols of our collective creativity and togetherness.Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near contrivance
Cite this Entry
“Contrivance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrivance. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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