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Definition of contriver

contriver

/kənˈtraɪ.vɚ/
con · triv · er
Plural:contrivers
•
Adjective:contrived
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contriver Lexical Profile

contriver Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who devises, designs, or invents something with skill and resourcefulness.

Example

"The seventeenth-century polymath was celebrated as an ingenious contriver of optical instruments and mechanical clocks."

2

A person who plots, schemes, or orchestrates a clever or deceitful plan.

Example

"The prosecutor identified the disgraced executive as the chief contriver of the fraudulent accounting scheme."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for contriver

• Nearby Words

contrivance
contrive
contrived
contriver
control
controllability
controllable

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English from the verb contrive plus the agentive suffix -er. The base verb derives from Anglo-French controver ('to invent' or 'to imagine'), ultimately from Late Latin contropare ('to compare' or 'to represent figuratively').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Contriver. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/contriver
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