contrived
Lacking natural flow
Contrived describes something that feels forced, artificial, or overly engineered rather than natural or spontaneous.
A contrived plot relies on unlikely coincidences.
A contrived excuse sounds rehearsed.
Contrived dialogue doesn't sound like real speech.
The word carries criticism—what's contrived lacks the ease of the genuine: The ending felt contrived, a contrived attempt at humor.
Under uncomfortable tension
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
- laboredRequiring great exertion
- stiltedUnnaturally formal in expression
- awkwardLacking grace or ease
stiff · wooden · clumsy · affected · mannered · hammy · overwrought · overdone
Invented, not real
- fakeNot the real thing
- phonyFraudulent person or thing
- ersatzArtificial and inferior substitute
- shamFraudulent imitation
bogus · spurious · pseudo · counterfeit · inauthentic · imitation · simulated · synthetic
Planned before acting
- calculatedFigured out mathematically
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- schemedCrafted underhanded plans
- plannedDecided on beforehand
orchestrated · engineered · prearranged · designed · devised · concocted · hatched · machinated
Arranged for effect
- scriptedWritten out beforehand
- rehearsedPrepared by repetition
- performativeDone for appearance's sake
- put-onDeliberate deception or pretense
melodramatic · histrionic · exaggerated · showy · ostentatious · dramatized · actorly · campy
strained
Under uncomfortable tension
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
- laboredRequiring great exertion
- stiltedUnnaturally formal in expression
awkward · stiff · wooden · clumsy · affected · mannered · hammy · overwrought · overdone · studied
fabricated
Invented, not real
sham · bogus · spurious · pseudo · counterfeit · inauthentic · imitation · simulated · synthetic · fictitious
premeditated
Planned before acting
- calculatedFigured out mathematically
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- schemedCrafted underhanded plans
planned · orchestrated · engineered · prearranged · designed · devised · concocted · hatched · machinated · choreographed
staged
Arranged for effect
- scriptedWritten out beforehand
- rehearsedPrepared by repetition
- performativeDone for appearance's sake
put-on · melodramatic · histrionic · exaggerated · showy · ostentatious · dramatized · actorly · campy · over-the-top
- reviewsreview, reviews, rating, ratings, critic
- authenticityauthentic, genuine, real, fake, counterfeit
- man-madebuildings, cars, planes, boats, trains
- fakefake, phony, bogus, sham, counterfeit
- planningplan, planned, planners, to-do lists, calendars
- unreal thingsillusion, delusion, fantasy, fiction, imaginary
contrivednatural
Not artificially produced
spontaneous · organic · uncontrived · unforced · unrehearsed
contrivedgenuine
Truly what it claims
authentic · real · true · sincere · unaffected
contrivednatural
Not artificially produced
effortless · unforced · organic · uncontrived · unaffected
contrive, contrivance, contriving, uncontrived, contrives, contrivances, contriver, contrivers