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

He is sometimes inspired to make a poor choice, but, as with the silent comedians of old, the universe will contrive to save him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2024

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

They felt that Odysseus had deserved better at their hands and Zeus spoke for them all when he said they must put their heads together and contrive a way for him to return.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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

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

A couple of times in this short and occasionally exhilarating feature from Colombia, its director, Camilo Restrepo, contrives striking visual juxtapositions.

From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2022

And while the Survivor season contrives to have its David come out ahead, White’s fictionalized version offers no such assurances about the triumph of the underdog.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2021

Technical proofs are the arguments that the orator contrives.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Without being stagey or contrived, Mr. Mungiu explores a conflict with implications far beyond the courtroom showdown in his climax.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

In a film full of contrived indignities, this is the most maddening, suggesting that anyone watching the film is no more clever than the “Fossil Fools” audience members.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

Scenes designed to advance the plot feel more contrived than ones in which characters just share thoughts and feelings, but there are plenty of those.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

I’m wondering if the justices are themselves creating these absurd notions or if appellate advocates are suggesting and steering the justices toward these contrived ways of thinking.

From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2026

Abel felt she was being much too casual about his imminent end, as though it were only one of many she had contrived.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig

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

Redondo hit the post twice in a matter of seconds - first seeing her header brilliantly tipped on to the woodwork by Daphne van Domselaar, before contriving to turn the rebound off the same upright.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2023

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

For not in doing or contriving, nor in choosing between this course and another, can I avail; but only in knowing what was and is, and in part also what shall be.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien