Word of the day: What 'contrive' means and how to use it right
The word of the day is contrive, a verb for planning or managing something cleverly. It also carries a darker shade when an action or storyline feels too forced.
by India Today Education Desk · India TodayIn Short
- The word functions as a verb for clever planning or invention
- It can also describe actions or scenes that feel overly engineered
- The usage spans essays, films, storytelling and formal everyday discussions
The Word of the Day is contrive. It is a smart and expressive word used when someone carefully plans, invents, or manages something, often in a clever or unusual way. However, the word can also carry a negative tone when something feels too forced or artificial.
WHAT DOES CONTRIVE MEAN?
Contrive is a verb. It means to plan, invent, or bring about something using cleverness or skill. It can also mean managing to do something despite difficulty.
In simple words, if someone creates a plan very carefully or arranges something in a clever way, they are contriving it. For example, a person might contrive an excuse to avoid a meeting, or a writer may contrive a complicated plot twist in a story.
Sometimes, contrive is also used negatively to describe situations that seem unnatural or overly planned.
HOW TO USE CONTRIVE IN SENTENCES
Contrive is commonly used in formal writing, storytelling, films, and discussions about planning or creativity.
Here are some examples:
- “She managed to contrive a solution to the problem.”
- “He contrived an excuse for arriving late.”
- “The movie’s ending felt too contrived.”
- “They somehow contrived to finish the project on time.”
These examples show how the word can describe both clever planning and something overly arranged.
MAKE YOUR LANGUAGE MORE EXPRESSIVE
Instead of saying: “He planned it cleverly,”
You can say: “He contrived it.”
Using contrive adds sophistication and precision to your language. It is especially useful in essays, reviews, and conversations where you want to describe planning, invention, or situations that feel carefully engineered.
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