Contrive and invent are two words that are often used interchangeably to describe the act of creating something new. Contrive is defined as 'to devise or plan with ingenuity, ' while invent is defined as 'to create or produce something new.' Both words refer to the process of coming up with a creative solution to a problem or creating something new from existing materials. Inventors and designers often use both terms to describe their work, as they are both involved in the process of creating something new.