contrived

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He Gets Us has been running these strange, Jesus-themed commercials for multiple Super Bowls in a row now, and they’re only getting more contrived.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

But Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Saturday: "Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing."

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Djiga contrived to head the ball into Martinez's path under no pressure to gift Braga a point, the defender appearing to lose the flight of the ball in swirling conditions.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

And it’s here that “Keeper” starts to unravel, the arrestingly pristine visuals and hypnotic rhythms giving way to contrived explanations.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

The man across the wall shuffled through a bunch of photographs in a plastic sachet, with an air of contrived interest.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy