contrive

UK: /kənˈtraɪv/ US: /kənˈtraɪv/ ,(kən trīv′)

Inflections of 'contrive' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

contrives

v 3rd person singular

contriving

v pres p

contrived

v past

contrived

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•trive /kənˈtraɪv/   v., -trived, -triv•ing. 

1. [~ + object] to plan with great cleverness;
   figure out;
   invent:
   They managed to contrive a means of escape.
2. [~ + to + verb] to bring about by a plan, scheme, etc.;
   find a way to do something, esp. by scheming:
   He contrived to gain their votes.

con•triv•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•trive  (kən trīv′), v., -trived, -triv•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to plan with ingenuity;
   devise;
   invent:
   The author contrived a clever plot.
2. to bring about or effect by a plan, scheme, or the like;
   manage:
   He contrived to gain their votes.
3. to plot (evil, treachery, etc.).

v.i. 

4. to form designs;
   plan.
5. to plot.

• Late Latin contropāre to compare, equivalent. to con- con- + *tropāre (French trouver to find; see trover); development of vowel unclear
• Middle French contreuv-, tonic stem of controver to devise, invent, Old French: to decide, agree upon
• Middle English contreven 1275–1325

con•triv′a•ble, adj. 
con•triv′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. design, concoct. See prepare. 
• 3. conspire, scheme.
• 5. connive.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

contrive / kənˈtraɪv/ verb

1. (transitive) to manage (something or to do something), esp by means of a trick; engineer: he contrived to make them meet
2. (transitive) to think up or adapt ingeniously or elaborately: he contrived a new mast for the boat
3. to plot or scheme (treachery, evil, etc)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French controver, from Late Latin contropāre to represent by figures of speech, compare, from Latin com- together + tropus figure of speech, trope

conˈtriver noun