concoct

verb con·coct \ kən-ˈkäkt , kän- \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of concoct

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

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concocter

noun

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concoction

play \kən-ˈkäk-shən, kän-\ noun

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concoctive

play \kən-ˈkäk-tiv, kän-\ adjective

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See concoct defined for kids

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 of concoct from the Web

His grandfather was among the original members who concocted the Maguire prank at the bar.

— andrew joseph, For The Win, "How Loyola inspired an epic NCAA hoax: Inside Maguire University's party at the Final Four," 2 Apr. 2018
On the contrary, Sun’s lawyer said, everything seized from the bedroom was legal and explainable without concocting a massacre plan.

— avi selk, Washington Post, "He came to the U.S. for high school, then acquired an arsenal to attack it, police say," 28 Mar. 2018
Prosecutors trying Ortega for the murders of 2-year-old Leo and 6-year-old Lucia Krim insist that the nanny concocted her insanity defense while convalescing in the weeks after the crime.

— maureen o'connor, The Cut, "A Crucial Question at the Nanny Trial: Is She Faking Her Hallucinations?," 28 Mar. 2018
On Sunday, the visitors played well against a Crew reserves side concocted of first team players, reserved and a couple academy players.

— charlie hatch, Cincinnati.com, "FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew SC scrimmage only teases for another 'HELL IS REAL Derby'," 27 Mar. 2018
Shortly after President Trump signed the tax reform into law, Rep. Josh Gottheimer concocted a nullification plan.

— mene ukueberuwa, WSJ, "New Jersey Lawmakers Try to Fool the Federal Taxman," 16 Mar. 2018
Space10 concocted five recipes – half of which sound rather simple and actually tasty.

— shannon barbour, Cosmopolitan, "IKEA Has Gone Too Far With Its New Bug-Filled Food Options," 13 Mar. 2018
This money is a carryover from the deal concocted before the start of the 2016 campaign.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "A calm, not a storm, surrounds Drew Brees' contract with the Saints," 28 Feb. 2018
To get the mortgages, the government contends, Manafort and Gates concocted fake profit and loss statements that inflated their income.

— marc fisher, Anchorage Daily News, "Inside the Manafort money machine: A decade of influence-peddling, lavish spending and alleged fraud," 22 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'concoct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of concoct

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1594

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

concoct Synonyms

Phrases

come up with;

CONCOCT Defined for English Language Learners

concoct

verb

Definition of concoct for English Language Learners

: to make (a food or drink) by mixing different things together
: to invent or develop (a plan, story, etc.) especially in order to trick or deceive someone