concoct

verb

con·​coct kən-ˈkäkt 

kän-

concocted; concocting; concocts

transitive verb

1

: to prepare by combining raw materials

concoct a recipe

concocted a tropical fruit smoothie

2

: devise, fabricate

concoct an explanation

concocted a strategy to take control of the company

concocter noun

concoctive

kən-ˈkäk-tiv 

kän-

adjective

Synonyms

• construct
• contrive
• cook (up)
• devise
• drum up
• excogitate
• fabricate
• invent
• make up
• manufacture
• think (up)
• trump up
• vamp (up)

Examples of concoct in a Sentence

The drink was first concocted by a bartender in New York.

She concocted a stew from the leftovers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even the butter that comes with an astonishing laminated bread is concocted from spirulina algae. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 July 2024

The scions of the Long Beach legend alleged in a federal lawsuit filed last year that their elders concocted a plan to funnel money from their late mother’s estate to two music companies controlled by their grandfather, Pedro. —Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024

The last man connected to a group that was concocting plans to take down the power grid in Idaho and other states has pleaded guilty. —Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 26 June 2024

Design brands, meanwhile, are concocting ways to refresh the apron front. —Sophie Aliece Hollis, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin concoctus, past participle of concoquere to cook together, from com- + coquere to cook — more at cook

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

concoct

verb

con·​coct kən-ˈkäkt 

kän-

1

: to prepare by combining various ingredients

concoct a stew

2

: to think up : invent

concoct a likely story

concoction

-ˈkäk-shən 

noun