contrive

Meaning

1. To invent by an exercise of ingeniosity; to devise
2. To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation.
3. To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To spend (time, or a period).

Synonyms

devise

plan

invent

design

plot

concoct

project

create

manage

engineer

fabricate

scheme

make up

excogitate

formulate

forge

machinate

innovate

coin

🪙

compass

🧭

cast

cook up

think out

think up

throw

manipulate

mastermind

compose

conceive

intend

knock up

lay out

make

manufacture

map out

mediate

mirror

🪞

perfect

polish

🇵🇱

prepare

produce

programme

realize

reflect

reverberate

revitalize

schedule

shift

stage

think

🤔

think of

tide over

trump up

use

vamp up

work out

work up

get round

make ready

shift for oneself

go to unnecessary lengths

plan out

porject

advance

instigate master mind

arrange

block out

blueprint

brew

build

build up

calculate

carry

cause

chat up

coax

connive

construct

contemplate

cultivate

develop

discover

do

dream up

elaborate

evolve

figure out

find

🔍

form

frame

get along

give birth

hatch

knock off

Translations

inventer

inventar

idear

erfinden

concevoir

uitvinden

einfädeln

🧵

ersinnen

beramen

ausdenken

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kənˈtɹaɪv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: contreve

Cognate with French: controuver

In summary

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