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.
Lockjaw, obsessed with everything about Perfidia, concocts a reason to send authorities into the town where Bob and Willa are living. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025 Swartz concocted this massive blockbuster trade idea, which sends Brown to his hometown team, the Atlanta Hawks. Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025 Orbán has long sought to consolidate his power through concocting scapegoats for Hungary’s ills. Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Synthetic dyes are generally made from petroleum and concocted in labs. Alice Park, Time, 15 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 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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