WordWeb Online

1. Showing effects of planning or manipulation
   "a novel with a contrived ending"
    
2. Artificially formal
   "contrived coyness"
   - artificial, hokey [N. Amer], stilted

1. Make or work out a plan for; devise
   "They contrived to murder their boss"
   - plan, project, design
    
2. Come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
   "contrive a way to measure the speed of light"
   - invent, devise, excogitate, formulate, forge
    
3. Put or send forth
   "contrive a spell"
   - project, cast, throw

See also: affected, contrivance, contriver, planned, unnatural

Type of: create by mental act, create mentally, direct, send

Encyclopedia: Contrive