concoct

verb

con·​coct kən-ˈkäkt How to pronounce concoct (audio)
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 adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the new Indonesian horror flick The Elixir, a new herbal potion concocted by a traditional medicine doctor accidentally wakes the dead, and now all Hell is breaking loose. PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025 But in the late 1800s, food companies began concocting products that were wildly different from anything people could make themselves. Alice Callahan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 Maybe the purposefully ambiguous coda was concocted to prove some sort of Rashomon-style truth-is-subjective point. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2025 The very last thing the world needs is another conspiracy theory, but hoo-boy, Chiefs fans could concoct one about ESPN’s broadcasters. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for concoct

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of concoct was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Concoct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concoct. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

concoct

verb
con·​coct kən-ˈkäkt How to pronounce concoct (audio)
kän-
1
: to prepare by combining various ingredients
concoct a stew
2
: to think up : invent
concoct a likely story
concoction noun

More from Merriam-Webster on concoct

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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