Define contriving. contriving synonyms, contriving pronunciation, contriving translation, English dictionary definition of contriving. v. con·trived , con·triv·ing , con·trives v. tr. 1. To plan with cleverness or ingenuity; devise: contrive ways to amuse the children. 2. To invent or...

con•trive /kənˈtraɪv/ v., -trived, -triv•ing. invent: They managed to contrive a means of escape. find a way to do something, esp. by scheming: He contrived to gain their votes. con•trive (kən trīv′ ), v., -trived, -triv•ing. invent: The author contrived a clever plot.

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English con‧trive /kənˈtraɪv/ verb [transitive] 1 formal to succeed in doing something in spite of difficulties contrive to do something Schindler contrived to save more than 1,000 Polish Jews from the Nazis. 2 to arrange an event or situation in a clever w...