contrive

Contrive is a verb with several related senses. It means to devise, plan, or invent something by ingenuity or effort; to bring about or accomplish (something) by planning or scheming; and, in some uses, to manage to obtain or do something, often by expedient or cunning means. It can be transitive (contrive a plan) or intransitive in the phrase contrive to do something (for example, contrived to escape). The noun form contrivance refers to a device or plan created for a purpose, or to a scheme or invention; a contriver is one who contrives. The adjective contrived describes something that is artificial, strained, or obviously artificial or forced.

Usage often implies deliberate planning or skill, and it can carry a neutral or positive nuance (cleverly contrived solution) or a negative one (a contrived ending, a contrived plot). In contemporary writing, contrived is frequently used to criticize plausibility or spontaneity, while contrive as a verb highlights the act of coordinating elements to achieve a result.

Etymology: The word originates in Middle English as contriven, from Old French contriver, and ultimately from Latin contrivire, meaning to devise. The sense is thought to derive from elements meaning “together” or “to draw together,” reflecting the notion of drawing ideas or actions into a plan.

Related terms include contrivance, contriver, and contrived. The term is common across formal and narrative registers, and it remains a standard way to describe deliberate, intentional planning or fabrication.