What does contrive mean?
"Contrive" is a verb with two closely related meanings: to invent, design, or bring about something through skillful ingenuity, and — especially when followed by an infinitive — to succeed in accomplishing something against difficulty, as in "she contrived to finish on time." The word often suggests cleverness, resourcefulness, or deliberate planning, sometimes with a hint of artifice or scheming, which is why its adjective form "contrived" describes things that feel forced or artificially arranged rather than natural. It appears most frequently in formal or literary English, where it lends precision to descriptions of human ingenuity and improvisation. Etymologically it comes from Old French "controver," meaning "to find out or invent," ultimately rooted in medieval Latin. Whether praising someone's resourcefulness or subtly criticizing something as overly engineered, "contrive" captures the act of making something happen through deliberate, inventive effort.
verbTo create or bring about something by skillful planning or ingenuity, often in a clever or ingenious way; to manage to do or achieve something despite difficulties.
- To create or devise something skillfully or ingeniously, often with planning or scheming involved
- To succeed in doing or achieving something despite obstacles or difficulty (often with 'to')
"She somehow contrived to finish the entire report before the deadline despite the power outage."
"The prisoners contrived a daring escape using nothing but smuggled tools."
"Despite the chaos of moving house, they somehow contrived to host a small dinner for friends."
"Contrive" and "find" share an ancient root — both trace back to the same idea of coming upon something through effort or chance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contrive
Contrive entered English from Old French "controver" ("to find out, devise, imagine") in the late Middle Ages, deriving from Medieval Latin "contropare," meaning "to compare or invent." The Latin root combines elements related to "trope" or "turning," giving the word its sense of shaping or fashioning something deliberately. Its cousin "trouvère" (the French trouvère poets) and the modern French "trouver" ("to find") share this lineage, linking "contrive" etymologically to the idea of discovering or devising through effort.
Related word forms
How contrive is actually used
"Contrive" carries a slightly literary or formal tone and can imply cunning, artifice, or artificiality when used of plans (as in "a contrived ending"), but when followed by an infinitive it usually simply means managing to accomplish something. It is more common in written than spoken English.
Easily confused with contrive
"Contrive" means to devise or scheme something, while "construe" means to interpret the meaning of words or actions.