concoct

verb con·coct \ kən-ˈkäkt , kän- \

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

See concoct defined for English-language learners

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

At the time, culturing stem cells was notoriously hard, but after combing through previous lab experiments, another postdoc in Clevers's lab, Toshiro Sato, concocted a mix of growth factors that coaxed the gut stem cells to replicate in a dish.

— gunjan sinha, Science | AAAS, "This scientist is building miniature guts, livers, and lungs that could save your life one day," 23 Aug. 2017
Their alleged scheme, rooted in a plan concocted in Las Vegas to make extra cash, ultimately relied on self-destructing text messages and smartphone screen shots of brokerage accounts, the U.S. said.

— erik larson, charlotteobserver, "Love notes from ex-Bank of America employee were insider tips, U.S. says," 17 Aug. 2017
Concocted by Franz Sacher in 1832 while an apprentice in the kitchen of Prinz Metternich, the recipe was passed down to his son Eduard.

— Smithsonian, "10 Unexpectedly Scenic Places in Austria," 14 Aug. 2017
Senators planned to vote Wednesday on a Republican amendment repealing much of Mr. Obama's law and giving Congress two years to concoct a replacement.

— alan fram, The Christian Science Monitor, "Replacing Obamacare with sweeping changes faces uphill climb," 26 July 2017
A spokesman for Mr Hun Sen’s party said that Mr Ou Virak had claimed the affair was concocted by the party to smear an opponent.

— The Economist, "Don’t say a wordHow powerful people use criminal-defamation laws to silence their critics," 13 July 2017
One is a generator that concocts images, the other a discriminator that tries to spot any flaws that would give away the manipulation, forcing the generator to get better.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "AI is changing how we do science. Get a glimpse," 5 July 2017
The original beef recipe was concocted by his wife, Peggy, according to its history on its website.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "New Southern barbecue restaurant opens in Mokena," 28 June 2017
Father and son concoct a horror story about a world in which women go into cocoon-like slumber — and turn violent when roused.

— david martindale, star-telegram.com, "What you’re going to be reading this summer," 26 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 1594

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concoct Synonyms

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