adj · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/kənˈtɹaɪvd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 N T R AY1 V D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Created in a deliberate, rather than natural or spontaneous, way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
contrived joke
contrived answer
contrived speech
contrived solution
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Unnatural, forced; artificial, or unrealistic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
simple past and past participle of contrive
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, participle, past
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
artificially formal
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
that artificial humility that her husband hated
contrived coyness
a stilted letter of acknowledgment
when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted pronunciation
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: artificial, hokey, stilted
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
showing effects of planning or manipulation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a novel with a contrived ending
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
61 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
人為的 /人为的
(rénwéi de)
— created in a deliberate way
Chinese Mandarin:
刻意的
(kèyì de)
— created in a deliberate way
Finnish:
tarkoituksellinen
— created in a deliberate way
Finnish:
teennäinen
— created in a deliberate way
Finnish:
pakotettu
— created in a deliberate way
Hungarian:
megrendezett
— created in a deliberate way
Hungarian:
beállított
— created in a deliberate way
Hungarian:
kiagyalt
— created in a deliberate way
Hungarian:
kieszelt
— created in a deliberate way
Portuguese:
deliberado
— created in a deliberate way
Russian:
неесте́ственный
(nejestéstvennyj)
— created in a deliberate way
Russian:
иску́сственно со́зданный
(iskússtvenno sózdannyj)
— created in a deliberate way
Russian:
специа́льно со́зданный
(speciálʹno sózdannyj)
— created in a deliberate way
Spanish:
muy elaborado
— created in a deliberate way
Spanish:
maquinado
— created in a deliberate way
Spanish:
complotado
— created in a deliberate way
Spanish:
urdido
— created in a deliberate way
Catalan:
artificial
— unnatural, forced
Catalan:
forçat
— unnatural, forced
Chinese Mandarin:
不自然的
(bùzìrán de)
— unnatural, forced
Chinese Mandarin:
做作的
(zuòzuo de)
— unnatural, forced
Chinese Mandarin:
人為的 /人为的
(rénwéi de)
— unnatural, forced
Chinese Mandarin:
矯揉造作的 /矫揉造作的
(jiǎoróuzàozuò de)
— unnatural, forced
