kän-ˈkrēt
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We can trace "concrete" back to the Latin verb concrescere, meaning "to grow together." Appropriately, when it first entered English "concrete" could mean "connected by growth." Logicians and grammarians also applied "concrete" to words that expressed a quality viewed as being united with the thing it describes. That in turn led to the sense of "concrete" which we now contrast with "abstract"—concrete words express actual things ("rock," "lizard, "harpsichord"), while abstract words express qualities apart from actual things ("bliss," "freedom," "turpitude"). It was not until the 19th century that the noun "concrete," and its related adjective, began to be used for the building material composed of cementing material and sand, gravel, or similar materials.
Synonyms
Examples of concrete in a Sentence
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 24 Nov. 2023
More dramatic is the house’s relationship to the ground: Set on a heavy concrete platform, the dwelling juts out over the steep incline of its narrow plot; in time, Ayako says, shade-seeking plants will creep in, creating a river of green under a bridge to nowhere.
—Michael Snyder Pedro Kok, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2023
The Irish building-materials supplier said the assets comprise a cement plant, a network of terminals located on the Gulf of Mexico, as well as a portfolio of 20 ready-mixed concrete plants.
—Anthony O. Goriainoff, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023
Imagine metal steps, ladders, or the simple addition of a concrete wall.
—Freya Bromley, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
The hangar doors and their supporting concrete pillars will be stabilized and left in place for the time being.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Monaco, with its tight corners and gaping concrete barriers, takes me a few days (and zesty beverages) each season in the F1 games.
—WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023
The body of a bronze headless woman slowly melts and drips down the side of the concrete pedestal of In Mortal Repose (2011), while Double Standard (2022) conjoins symmetrical headless bodies at the neck, one rightside up, one upside down.
—Grace Edquist, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2023
Rolls-Royce, NuScale’s most prominent rival, is aggressively targeting the data center industry, though as yet without concrete results.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2023
Peter Aitken, Fox News, 14 July 2023
These stipulations have helped concrete over huge chunks of America—there are between three and six car parking spaces per car in the US, numbering up to 2 billion in total, according to some estimates.
—Oliver Milman, WIRED, 7 Jan. 2023
Rigolon acknowledged that having a large area of irrigated turf is preferable to asphalt or concrete.
—Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 15 July 2022
Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023
Stone and concrete, for example, have a natural texture, while glass or metal can be shaped or finished to exude a dramatic texture.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2023
Kogan is known for his clean lines and generous use of concrete, as well as for integrating the outdoors through large windows and skylights.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2023
The first Starship launch shredded the launch site by throwing chunks of concrete for miles around.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 Nov. 2023
Some were skeletal silhouettes against the stars, windowless and blackened, others mere pancaked stacks of concrete.
—Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023
Rubble was bulldozed and cleared, and vast amounts of concrete was poured as buildings with stricter seismic standards went up.
—Aida Alami, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Their straightforward aesthetic works well in a variety of contexts: strong forms in materials such as steel, wood and concrete, each project tailored to a neighborhood’s proportions, textures and scale, whether in City Heights, Tijuana or South Park.
—Dirk Sutro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023
Florida has a modest population of beef cattle, but most residents are more likely to spend their time walking on boardwalks, concrete, and asphalt than in the saddle.
—Gabriel N. Rosenberg, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'concrete.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adjective
Middle English concret "(of words) denoting a quality as adherent in a substance rather than in isolation," borrowed from Medieval Latin concrētus "composite, solidified, (of words) denoting a quality adherent in a substance rather than in isolation," going back to Latin, "formed, composite, condensed, solid," from past participle of concrēscere "to coalesce, condense, solidify, harden" — more at concrescence
Verb
borrowed from Latin concrētus, past participle of concrēscere "to coalesce, condense, solidify, harden" — more at concrescence
Noun
derivative of concrete entry 1
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing concrete
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Cite this Entry
“Concrete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concrete. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
concrete
1 of 3 adjective
kən-
concrete
2 of 3 verb
(ˈ)kän-ˈkrēt
concrete
3 of 3 noun
More from Merriam-Webster on concrete
Nglish: Translation of concrete for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of concrete for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about concrete
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