contrive

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kənˈtɹaɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #51194

Meanings

1

verb
To manage to do something difficult by being clever or resourceful.

She contrived to finish the project despite the missing data.
2

verb
To plan or invent something, often in a cunning or artificial way.

They contrived a scheme to avoid paying the fee.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to manage to do something... manage

2 verb · to plan or invent... devise plot scheme plan hatch

More becast

Word family

Forms contrivedcontrivescontriving

Derived forms contrivablecontrivancecontrivedcontrivementcontriverprecontriverecontriveuncontriving

Etymology

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

contreve Middle English controver Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# contrive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kənˈtɹaɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 51194

## Meanings
1. To manage to do something difficult by being clever or resourceful.
2. To plan or invent something, often in a cunning or artificial way.

## Examples
- She contrived to finish the project despite the missing data.
- They contrived a scheme to avoid paying the fee.

## Synonyms
- becast

## Derived Forms
- contrivable
- contrivance
- contrived
- contrivement
- contriver
- precontrive
- recontrive
- uncontriving

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: contreve
- Root: controver

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

## AI Etymology
Contrive is from Middle English contreve (“to invent”), from Old French controver (Modern French controuver), from trover (“to find”) (French trouver). Important recorded forms include contreve (Middle English) and controver (Old French). Current senses include to manage to do something difficult by being clever or resourceful and to plan or invent something, often in a cunning or artificial way. The wider family includes derived forms such as contrivable, contrivance, contrived, contrivement, and contriver.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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