concrete

adjective

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con·crete | \ (ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt

, ˈkän-ˌkrēt, kən-ˈkrēt

Definition of concrete

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : naming a real thing or class of things the word poem is concrete, poetry is abstract

2 : formed by coalition of particles into one solid mass

3a : characterized by or belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events

b : specific, particular a concrete proposal

c : real, tangible concrete evidence

4 : relating to or made of concrete a concrete wall

concrete

verb

con·crete | \ ˈkän-ˌkrēt

, kän-ˈkrēt

concreted; concreting

Definition of concrete (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to form into a solid mass : solidify

b : combine, blend

2 : to make actual or real : cause to take on the qualities of reality

3 : to cover with, form of, or set in concrete The statues were concreted to the ground.

intransitive verb

: to become concreted

concrete

noun

con·crete | \ ˈkän-ˌkrēt

, (ˌ)kän-ˈkrēt \

Definition of concrete (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a mass formed by concretion or coalescence of separate particles of matter in one body

2 : a hard strong building material made by mixing a cementing material (such as Portland cement) and a mineral aggregate (such as sand and gravel) with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind the entire mass

3 : a waxy essence of flowers prepared by extraction and evaporation and used in perfumery

Other Words from concrete Synonyms & Antonyms Did you know? More Example Sentences Phrases Containing concrete Learn More About concrete

Did you know?

Adjective

We can trace "concrete" back to the Latin verb concrescere, meaning "to grow together." Appropriately, when if 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.

Examples of concrete in a Sentence

Adjective It's helpful to have concrete examples of how words are used in context. We hope the meetings will produce concrete results. Verb the mortar slowly concreted in the mold a choral work that concretes music and dance into a stunning theatrical experience

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Cooper had chalked out the outline of a discus circle on the concrete floor. — David Woods, The Indianapolis Star, 23 June 2022 Plywood sheets can make a sturdy base when lifting vehicles on surfaces like dirt, but a hard concrete floor is always preferable. — Talon Homer, Popular Mechanics, 17 June 2022 Lauren outfitted the lower-level family room with a desk for homework and a soft rug and floor pillows on the concrete floor for playtime. — Kerstin Czarra, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2022 He was made to sleep on the concrete floor and the jail did not have proper COVID-19 protocols, according to the complaint. — Amanda Maile, ABC News, 7 June 2022 The 44-year-old is sleeping on the concrete floor of a crowded shelter with no mattresses in increasingly unhygienic conditions while her children stay at a friend’s home. — Evens Sanon And Dánica Coto, Anchorage Daily News, 22 May 2022 Aiming at having a concrete impact on the unfolding war, the purchase of the book made directly from www.gostbooks.com will include a donation of 20% of the proceeds from sales or pre-orders addressed to the charity Monstrov in Odesa. — Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 10 May 2022 Dylan Murray, a general contractor and co-owner of Murray Craft Builders in Westchester, N.Y., covered the concrete floor of his basement with patio paint. — Washington Post, 10 May 2022 Since then, the amount of awareness has really taken off and had concrete impact on policy, which was amazing. — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Rigolon acknowledged that having a large area of irrigated turf is preferable to asphalt or concrete. — Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 July 2021 Even as the White House tried to play down expectations beforehand, intense focus will continue on whether there will concrete results out of the summit. — Libby Cathey, ABC News, 16 June 2021 Aside from not trying to drill concrete with a bit made for wood, here are some factors for purchasing a set of quality bits that will last you more than one job. — The Editors, Field & Stream, 7 Dec. 2020 How could concrete contort that much without exploding into dust? — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, 27 June 2020 The Kwai’s crew of 11, sailors accustomed to unloading anything from cars to concrete on isolated islands, uses winches and sweat to hoist the heavy nets from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where swirling currents gather floating debris. — Doug Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 June 2020 That is, if the information gathered by investigators leads to concrete results within the church and the criminal justice system. — Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2020 The location will also serve local brews and frozen custard concretes with mix-ins by Chicago bakeries like Hot Chocolate Bakery and Bang Bang Pie. — Grace Wong, chicagotribune.com, 17 Oct. 2019 Small fish peer out from the necks of the jugs, which the passage of time has concreted into the seabed. — Elena Becatoros, The Seattle Times, 2 Aug. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The concrete for new expressways was laid as Chicago’s hinterland was in the midst of a building boom. — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2022 Apparently the decks on the current ones have rusted out and the concrete has deteriorated. — Laura Johnston, cleveland, 10 June 2022 This core was deliberately built slightly off-center but straightened as the building rose, compressing the concrete and giving it strength, and moving it into vertical position as the weight of each floor was added. — Alice Mccool, CNN, 31 May 2022 Fans arriving for the festival’s opening day were greeted with a Hart Plaza that was repaved by the city of Detroit during the pandemic downtime, at last addressing the fractured concrete that had long plagued the site. — Brian Mccollum, Detroit Free Press, 28 May 2022 Maybe his way of proportionalizing the abstract and the concrete is just right for me. — Dennis Lim, The New Yorker, 15 May 2022 Soon, the little yellow hatchback will be dragged ashore, water cascading from its gaping windows, zebra mussels coating its battered exterior as its rims grind across the concrete. — Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2022 So concrete is really a two-stage invention, as humans modify what ocean life provided. — Helen Czerski, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022 Where the Willow Whispers shows a pool breaking through the concrete, and gradually filling with native flora and fauna. — Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 See More

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

History and Etymology for concrete

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

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