contrive

When a lady’s maid and a houseguest’s valet fall in love, they contrive to unite their incompatible employers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

In the coming days, he’ll contrive to meet her here and there, until they get friendly, and friendlier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025

Two years later, and after missing out on Qatar 2022 there are fears that Italy will somehow contrive to once again be absent from a major tournament.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2023

One of the first things McCartney did when he took over the Buffs in 1982 was contrive a rivalry with Nebraska and ban red in the football building.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2023

“I have cast my lot with my friend, and I will contrive some way to go to him. But your safety is the matter now at hand.”

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

So even if the U.S. somehow contrives to lose to Paraguay, draw with Australia, and lose to Turkey, for example, it’s highly likely they’ll get into the Round of 16.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Savoca contrives a wedding night as filled with rococo confections as the interior of a Palermo church.

From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

With the younger son taking over as jailer, this goes on for a century, until Dream contrives to escape.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2022

Lethem’s plot contrives for have Journeyman ride out the end of the world in a Maine idyll where people are both well-off and self-sufficient—a rarity in modern life.

From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2021

Technical proofs are the arguments that the orator contrives.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

His naiveté begins to feel contrived, a way to preserve a hazy aura of romance and menace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

It could be contrived and improbable and old-fashioned in its triumphs snatched from the jaws of defeat, and I completely loved it.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

In parliament ahead of the vote, Bolojan defended his push for reforms, slamming the motion as "deceitful, cynical, and contrived."

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

However, with 25 minutes to go and the match seemingly there for the taking, England contrived to hand the initiative back to Italy.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026

Alice turned and walked back to the cluster of stalls, her gait dainty and contrived, as though a misguided person had taught her how to walk “like a lady.”

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The FDA implicitly concedes that the RP1 results are impressive by contriving ridiculous reasons to argue they could be exaggerated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026

Warren Zaire-Emery was punished for contriving to strike the post with the goal gaping as Mats Hummels arrowed in a towering header to score for Dortmund shortly after.

From BBC ● May 7, 2024

Perhaps his primary knack was for contriving a tension between immaculate optics and human entropy.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 25, 2023

In time I hope to find some means of overpowering the pilot and contriving my escape.

From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2020

I counted to one hundred as I rocked, contriving the patience to get one down in order to take up another.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver